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RECOLLECTIONS 



OF 



HENRY MOORHOUSE, 

EVANGELIST. 



'"'•^ 



GEO. C/NEEDHAM. 



^.lo")^ 



CHICAGO: >'" 



F. H. Revell, 148 & 150, Madison Street, 
^puBKshcr of SoangcKcat literature. 



TT 




Copyright, 

1881, 

By F. H. Revell. 



BeiricatiotT. 



TO THE SCATTERED BELIEVEES, 
^ TO WHOM 

THE DIVINE WOED 
HAS BECOME MORE PRECIOIJS 
THROUGH THE INSTRUMENTALITY OF 
HENRY MOORHOUSE, 
THIS RECORD OF A LIFE WHICH SO SIGNALLY ILLUS- 
TRATED 
THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD OUR FATHER, 
THE PEACE OF JESUS CHRIST OUR REDEEMER, 
A.ND THE GRACE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT OUR TEACHEK, 
IS PRAYERFULLY DEDICATED. ' 

G. C. N. 



(3) 



OOISTTEISTTS, 



Chapter I. Inteoductory. 
The Cable Despatch— Dr. Brookes — Why I have writ- 
ten — "Beholding" — ^Laborers sent forth - 9 
Chapter II. Conversion. 

Sustaining Grace — ^The Young Prodigal — The Name 
JESUS — Growth — Singular Dreams — ^Bible Study — 

Two Questions 18 

Chapter III. Theological Tutor. 

John Hambleton — ^Vain Efifbrts — All in Christ — ^The 
Comedian turned Preacher — ^First Sermon — An early 
Moody and Sankey — ^Running "Waters — ^Henry's Col- 
lege — Silent Preaching - - - - 27 

Chapter IV. From Coalpit to Pulpit. 

The Coalpit Evangelist— Modem Thought — * 'God wants 
Men" — ^Weaver's First Address — Weaver's Populari- 
ty — Weaver's Style attracts Heniy— Real Prayer 4^1 

Chapter V. " Fiddler Joss." 
Another Brother— Joshua and Mrs. Poole — ^The Great 
Change— The " Fiddler's'* Lettei>~The Disciplinari- 
an - . 57 

15) 



G CONTENTS. 



Chapter VI. The School op Experience. 
The Hatless Preaclier — Henry's Auctioneering — Henry 
and Shakspeare — Henry and Epsom Races — A Heart 
for God the Great Desideratum — ^The Baby Show — 
Theatre Preaching — Was it an Imp? - - 65 

Chapter VII. Henry in Ireland. 

"Beloved, I Love Thee"— The Suit of Clothes— Low 
Life in Dublin — "Sing a 'im, mon" — Marvellous 
Grace — Letters -.-_-. 31 

Chapter VIII. Were they Fanatics? 
Henry at Chester Races — The dilletante Clergyman — ^A 
Wise Leader — " Reeds" and ** Rams' Horns" — Saved 
and Kept 93 

Chapter IX. Henry visits America. 
Crossing the Atlantic — Moorhouse and Moody — Seven 
Sermons on one Text — Moody's Change — "Other Cit- 
ies also" — Preaching to Colored Folks — Henry at 
Princeton - 105 

Chapter X. In Love with America. 
Other Visits — Chicago — Westward ho! — Third Visit — 
Pen-picture of Henry — ''Eccentricities" — Amusing 
Anecdotes — Recreation — Messrs. Get All You Can, 
and Keep AH You Get — Making Friends Happy 120 

Chapter XI. Evangelistic Correspondence. 
"Provoking unto Love and Good Works" — Henry to 
Usher — From the Faithful Tutor to the Pupil — Ham- 
bleton to Moorhouse — Henry to John - - 138 

Chapter XII. Closing Labors and Death. 
Alarming Symptoms— Bible Carriage Work— The Car- 



CONTENTS. 



riage at Oldham — Geo. Muller's Report — Henry's 
Legacy — Last Letter — Henry's Farewell — "In Memo- 
nam." 151 

Chapter XIII. Testimonials. 
An Indiana Banker — Dr. Shaw — Wm. Reynolds — 
Thomas Kimber's remarkable Letter — "Mr. Kimber, 
are you a Christian?" — The Victory — Practical Re- 
sults — ^Miss Macpherson. 168 

Chapter XIV. Testimonials continued. 
Opposition to Evangelists — Dr. Brookes' tribute — Evan- 
gelists of Divine appointment — Rev. Joseph Kelly — 
Miss E. Dryer— D. L. Moody— Ira D. Sankey. - 177 

Chapter XV. Conclusion. 
Henry's Ecclesiastical Views — ' ' Brethrenism" — Loyalty 
to Principle — Relation to Pastors — Union Meetings 
not Congenial — Defence of the Truth — The Atone- 
ment — W. J. Erdman — Lessons for Laborers — Ade- 
laide Newton — Characteristic Utterance. - - 196 



CHAPTER I. 



mTRODUOTOEY. 

The Cable Despatcli — Dr. Brookes— Why I have written — 
"Beholding " — Laborers sent forth. 

On Wednesday, Dec. 29, 1880, a cable des- 
patch reached us from Major D. W, Whittle, 
then in Glasgow, announcing the sorrowful tid- 
ings that Henry IVIoorhouse died on Monday, Dec. 
27. To those who had known of his sickness, 
and the nature of the disease, the announcement 
was not altogether unexpected. Immediately 
on receipt of the telegram, we wrote letters to 
several of Henry's personal friends, besides a few 
articles for the press, stating that our dear brother 
was summoned " Home." In addition, believing 
it would be of great benefit to the Church of 
God, and a testimony to His Sovereign Grace, 
we wrote to England urging on the friends tliere 
the necessity of publishing a full record of the 
devoted Evangelist. Meantime, we were exer- 
cised regarding plans for bringing before Ameri- 
can readers some facts of his early life, conversion 
(9) 



10 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

and ministry. In this country Henry was much 
beloved. It seemed, therefore, desirable to ac- 
quaint his large circle of friends with the influ- 
ences and circumstances which were thrown 
around liim in his younger year^, and in all, trace 
the Guiding Hand which led him into a wide 
sphere of testimony and service. While thus pon- 
dering, and hoping that some gifted pen would lay 
before the public such items of interest as 
we could furnish, the following letter from our 
dear and well known brother, Dr. Brookes, 
came to hand: 

" St. Louis, Jan. 3, 1881. 
" My Dear Brother: — 

*' Your letter has just reached me, announcing 
the departure of dear Henry to be with the 
Lord. It makes this world seem a little more 
lonesome to me, and heaven richer and sweeter, 
to know that he has gone from ns. Bonar's lines 
are ringing through my head and heart to-day, 
as they have often done before: 

*' * Saint after saint on earth 
Has lived, and loved, and died; 
And as they left us one by one, 
We laid them side by side. 

We laid them down to sleep, 
But not in hope forlorn; 
We laid them but to ripen there, 
Till the last glorious mom." 



INTRODUCTORY. 11 

" Oh, that the glorious morn without a cloud, 
and without an evening, would soon dawn ! 

" Dear little Harry! He bore faithful testimony 
to the wondrous grace which he so strikingly 
illustrated. That one so vile as he had been, 
and possessing so little of the world's culture, 
was so signally owned in his service for the 
Master, shows what ^ sovereign God can do for 
and through a consecrated soul. His life teaches 
a remarkable lesson, and it ought not to be lost. 
From your intimate association with him from 
the beginning of his christian experience, it 
seems to me you should prepare a little memoir 
or biographical sketch, which would be much 
used by our Lord. It would be eagerly read 
in the many places which Henry visited, and 
especially in the Young Men's Christian Asso- 
ciations. If the thought has not already oc- 
curred to you, lay it before the Lord, and see 
if He does not call you to the service. 

" Yours, in Him, 

"James H. Beookes." 



Having had no literary advantages, and being 
an unskillful and unpracticed penman, we at first 
demurred from this task. But lack of ability 
should not hinder a servant from making an 
honest effort to obey his Master. That we have 
heard His voice bidding us arise to action is our 



12 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

serious impression. To subserve His interests, 
and serve His cliurcli, we have undertaken to 
give our readers " Eecollections " of our de- 
parted friend. 

The reader will readily perceive the object of 
his life was to do good, not merely in a humani- 
tarian but in an Evangelical sense. He de- 
lighted in the study of God's word, and in 
the work of winning souls. He practically 
illustrated the text "But we all with open face 
beholding the glory of the Lord, are changed into 
the same image from glory to glory, even as by 
the Spirit of the Lord." " Beholding " is not a 
single act, but a life-long work. Henry Moor- 
house realized that there was no obstacle between 
him and Jesus. To commune with Him was 
his daily habit. He beheld His glory. His grace, 
His tenderness, His compassion for the lost, and 
in large measure he reflected his loved Master's 
image and character. The evening of his depar- 
ture corresponded to his morning of joy, and his 
day of tranquility. He labored fervently and 
entered into his rest, until the day of Resurrec- 
tion, when he shall hear the Master's " Well 
done." 

Henry MoorlK)use, " though dead, yet speak- 



INTEODUCTORT. 13 

eth." From the silence of the grave his voice 
may be of wider range, and more potent in its 
effects than when with unwearied zeal he used 
it in awakening the thoughts and stirring the 
hearts of many thousands. So be it. 

Having known him for seventeen years, the 
writer cannot but adore the marvellous grace 
which selected him from among his companions 
in sin, and called him into the exercise of a min- 
istry so abundant in precious fruit. The sketch- 
es given of the brethren who labored with him 
in Evangelistic work during the early years of 
his ministry, will, we doubt not, cause thanks- 
giving from many who shall glorify God on their 
behalf. His spiritual father, Richard Weaver, 
with his first tutor in the gospel, John Hamble- 
ton, were permitted to bear him to his final rest- 
ing place. These brethren, with others of Hen- 
ry's early associates, are worthy of special notice. 
The Editor of ''The Chrisiian;' (formerly ''The 
JRevival") an English periodical, has been chiefly 
instrumental in bringing to light the work of 
God in many a dark district, and in introducing 
many earnest men who had been at first restrict- 
ed in their fields of labor, but who have since 
proved a signal blessing to the church and to the 
world. The back numbers of the above masra- 



14 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

zine have furnished us with several notes and 
data in the preparation of this work. 

The years 1860-1865 were marked years in the 
history of revivals in Great Britain. The wave 
of blessing which so graciously rolled over the 
United States in 1857-1859, touched the shores of 
Ireland in 1860. In the Province of Ulster four 
young men had formed a concert of prayer, and 
unceasingly they made request for their native 
land. Like the mysterious wind, blowing where 
it listeth, the spirit of God moved over the face 
of the country. Churches, schools, barns, 
lodges, and every possible place of convenience 
became thronged daily and nightly with men, 
women and children, crying out in the bitterness 
of a convicted conscience, "What shall we do to 
be saved?" Soon, throughout the length and 
breadth of the Island the people flocked to hear 
the word. The officially recognized ministers 
could not meet the demands made upon them; 
nor were they always either qualified, or willing 
to identify themselves with the movement, 
though there were many grand men amongst 
them who entered heart and soul into the work. 
Then it was that the Sovereignty of God w^as 
seen and recognized in callinsj to the front in the 
work of Evangelism " the weak things of the 



INTRODUCTORY. 15 

world, the base things, and tlie things that are 
not." Not a few indeed of the upper classes 
were converted and consecrated to this good 
work, but from among the common people the 
Lord had chiefly raised up those who should 
especially form the van-guard of this noble army. 
Richard Weaver had already em.erged from 
the coal-pit; William Carter had given up his 
occupation as master sweep; John Hambleton, 
the converted comedian, was engaged in labors 
abundant; Edward Usher a dockyard laborer, 
was fulfilling his ministry as an Evangelist; 
Henry Yarley, the butcher; Reginald Radcliffe, 
the Liverpool lawyer; Brown low ]S"orth, the man 
of wealth and fashion; Denham Smith, the non- 
conformist preacher, a beloved brother and 
prominent leader of the work in Dublin, were 
all engaged in holding forth the word of life, 
when Henry Moorhouse was added to their ranks. 
There were other men of eminence who had 
been mightily used of God in promoting revival 
work throughout Great Britian, some pioneering 
in evangelistic labors, others maintaining the 
work of a settled pastorate. Eoremost amongst 
these was Charles Haddon Spurgeon, the honor- 
ed pastor of the Metropolitan Tabernacle, a man 
who has never swerved a hair's breath from 



16 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOl/SE. 

preaching the precious doctrines of grace. 
Henry Grattan Guinness, now the Principal of 
the London East End Institute, who has given 
his later years in preparing hundreds of young 
men for the foreign field, had used his splendid 
powers in the pioneer work of evangelism. 
Brownlow .iNTorth, connected with the highest 
families, gave his distinguished talents to 
preaching the Word of God. But the man who 
was more directly instrumental in encouraging 
Evangelists, both by his counsel, prayers and 
means, was Reginald Eadcliife, a successful 
lawyer, who with whole-hearted consecration en- 
tered the great revival movement in its earliest 
stage. By systematic co-operation, careful en- 
gineering, and wise legislation, he urged forward 
every possible scheme to rescue sinning, lost 
souls from destruction. When Messrs. Moody 
and Sankey visited Liverpool in later years, they 
found in this gentleman an earnest advocate of 
their work and methods. Through his energy 
and counsel, the house-to-house visitation was 
carred out in Liverpool, and when Mr. Moody 
reached London, he urged Mr. Eadcliife to join 
liim and organize a similar movement in that 
city. Most of these brethren above-mentioned 
were more or less identified with Henry Moor- 



INTRODUCTORY. IT 

house. Only those, however, who were his con- 
stant companions and co-laborers, and through 
whom his young life was more directly influenc- 
ed we shall sketch at greater length. 



CHAPTER II. 

CONVERSION, 

Sustainiag Grace— The Young Prodigal— The Name JESUS 
— Growth — Singular Dreams — Bible Study — Two Ques- 
tions. 

The conversion of Henry Moorliouse was a 
striking illustration of the power of the name 
of Jesus. His subsequent life of good works 
proved the genuineness of his faith and salva- 
tion. From the moment he realized the pre- 
ciousness and value of that wonderful name, 
he entered heartily into the service of his Lord. 
The last letter from his dying bed to Major 
Whittle was the key-note of his earnest life and 
noble purpose. " I only want to glorify Him," 
was the expressed wish of our brother as the 
time of his departure drew near. And how 
pathetic is the touching request, " pray for me 
that I may sujffer for Christ better than ever 
I preached for Him!" This was not an ex- 
perience gained when laid aside from active 
(18) 



CONVERSION. 19 



labor, for lie possessed it in the activity and 
exercise of stronc: manhood. How we are 
reminded of the stirring words of the grand 
Apostle, ^' that Christ shall be magnified in my 
body whether it be by life or by death!'' 

There is no occasion to dwell upon the dark 
days of Henry's nnregenerate life. The God of 
all grace and mercy put his sin away forever. 
The dear brother conld never think of his wild- 
ness and wickedness without pain, nor are we 
disposed to lift the veil. He knew himself to be 
the chief of sinners, a title well befitting us all, 
who know the leprosy of our own hearts. 
When very young he was enticed from home. 
With foolish companions [he spent his young 
days in riotous," living. His parents were quiet 
people, of humble circumstances, who, by their 
thrift and hard work lifted themselves above 
many of their neigbors. They still live to mourn 
the loss of a son who repaid them in love and 
kindness in later years, for the sorrow which he 
caused them when a servant of sin. When very 
young, Henry served in prisons. Whilst yet a 
youth he joined the army and tried the life of a 
soldier. He was bought off by his father at 
considerable cost. Once he attempted suicide 
by poison, but God's eye looked graciously on 



20 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOOEHOUSE. 

the lad, and led him bj a way which he knew 
not. ]^early twenty years ago Richard Weaver 
was preaching in the Alhambra circus, in the 
busy city of Manchester. Henry, hearing a 
noise, and thinking a light was going on, but- 
toned his coat, eager to join in the melee. But 
as he entered he was arrested by one word. The 
glorious name of Jesus shot from the preacher's 
lips, and went like a bullet to the heart of the 
wayward youth. Then he entered and heard 
the blessed gospel of grace, simply and earnestly 
preached. The Almighty name JESUS had en- 
tered his soul with living power. He saw and felt 
his sin^ nay more, his sins in countless multitude 
stood against him in battle array. He groaned 
for release and was speedily delivered. The 
word of the Lord assured him that his guilt 
was laid on Jesus. By faith he beheld the 
Lamb of God, and rested on the blood which 
saves. He possessed now the blessing of the 
man who knew that his iniquities were blotted 
out, and trespasses forgiven. The Name which 
reminded him of early childhood, which brought 
the long-despised Saviour to his remembrance, 
which wrought in him deep compunction of 
conscience, became a healing balm to his wounded 
heart. He could now sing with true apprecia- 
tion, 



CONVERSION. 21 



*' How sweet the name of Jesus sounds 

In a believer's ear; 
It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds, 
i And drives away his fear." 

Header, pardon the digression if we ask, what 
value has the name of Jesus for you? ;N"ame 
stands for character or quality, and this personal 
God-given name of the glorious Redeemer 
means power, and wealth, and goodness, and 
love, and salvation. But does it mean all this 
to youf Oh! what untold blessings, ideas, 
wonders, are embraced in that peerless name! 
Barnard has well said, " it is honey in the mouth, 
melody in the ear, and a jubilee in the heart." 
Dear Henry Moorhouse exulted in Jesus. 
Whatever he failed to find in himself, of good- 
ness, or righteousness, or peace, he found in 
Christ, '^ the Lord our Righteousness." 

After -the discovery that Jesus died for his 
sins, his heart became occupied with the love 
of God. His favorite text was John iii, 16: 
*' For God so loved the world, that He gave His 
only begotton Son, that whosover believeth in 
Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life." 
To him the love of God was very real. Twenty 
years after his conversion, when the hour of 
death with all its dread reality was at hand, he 



22 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE, 

turned to his crippled child, and with his dying 
breath exclaimed, " God is love." Some of those 
breathings of spiritual love from a new-born 
soul, as contained in the song of Solomon, were 
literally heard from his lips. It was not uncom- 
mon for him to speak to the Lord when fast asleep. 
Frequently those who occupied the same room 
with him have heard him talk with God when the 
seal of slumber was upon his eyes. Constantly 
would he repeat "precious, precious, precious 
Jesus." " I praise thee, O Lord." " I believe in 
the faith that works for the Lord; faith that 
works. We want more love to Thee, Lord, and 
to one another. Lord help us to walk humbly 
before Thee; to walk honestly before Thee; to 
walk truthfully before Thee; redeeming the time 
because the days are evil." Again, "It is a 
blessed thing to know that God keeps us, and it 
is a blessed thing to know that He does a great 
deal more besides. Thank the Lord; thank the 
Lord; thank the Lord." 

Receiving salvation as a gift^ Henry now 
sought to serve the Givek. Into His service 
he entered promptly and joyfully. From the 
beginning his individuality was marked, and his 
address unique. His faculty in describing an 
incident, or relating an anecdote was quaint and 



CONVERSION. 23 



original. Full of sympathy, liis face glowed with 
love. As he spoke his eyes grew moist with 
tears, his voice became tender and pathetic, and 
at times his whole frame trembled with emotion. 

His first services were chiefly in the open air, 
and at the great holiday gatherings both local 
and national. From morning until evening he 
was engaged in distributing tracts, personal 
conversation with individuals, and occasionally 
crying aloud to the multitudes to flee from 
coming wrath. Who can weigh the results of 
such self-denying efforts ? Early in his Chris- 
tian experience he was the subject of strange 
dreams, many of which were helpful and 
strengthening to him in his spiritual life. 

Upon one occasion, he saw in his sleep three 
young men in Manchester, with white jackets on 
their backs, on which were legible words written, 
" These men are going to hell." The place ap- 
peared to be near the infirmary, and before them 
was a deep burning lake of fire, unperceived by 
them. Henry called aloud for them to stop, but 
they took no heed, until he fell down upon his 
knees and cried to God, saying, ^'Lord it is not 
by might, nor by power, but by thy Spirit." 
The men then turned back in haste, having dis- 
covered their danger. This dream was on Fri- 



24: RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

day night; and on the Sunday evening follow- 
ing, when Henry was preaching in the Alhambra 
Circus, those three identical young men came 
into the place, and, before j the meeting closed, 
they were ail on their knees^ crying out for 
mercy, and were brought to accept the pardon ot 
their sins. The dream was literally fulfilled. 

Another remarkable dream. It appeared that 
all the evangelists (many scores, who were labor- 
ing in the great work now going on) were brought 
into one room, and placed upon pedestals, like 
statues. Each one had a looking-glass on his 
naked breast, and Henry could see the besetting 
sin of every one of them. A little boy, like an 
angel, was interpreting and naming each one, for 
Henry had not seen or known them, except a 
few who had been laboring at Manchester. As 
the little boy named each, and told their beset- 
ting sins — one, the love of money, another the 
praise of men; another, self-exaltation, etc., etc. 
Henry's own turn came, and he trembled, expect- 
ing condemnation, as he received his character, 
which was the love of praise of men. Only 
three among the whole company were exempt 
from any other motive than love to Jesus. The 
most remarkable part of this dream is its life 
representation. Those of us who analyze our 



CONVERSION. 25 



motives impartially, feel " condemned already." 
Henry very early manifested a growing inter- 
est in God's Word. He loved good men and 
sought the company of those who w^ere gifted in 
expounding the Scriptures. After a hard even- 
ing's preaching with the writer, on the street of 
an English town, he led us to the house of a 
mail-carrier, who opened to us the Word of Life. 
Far into the night we sat over our Bibles, Henry's 
face beaming with inexpressible pleasure, as the 
divinely-taught post-man continued his striking 
and precious expositions. Thus he learned from 
all who taught the Word. To this simple, un- 
assuming and zealous brother, many ^ministers, 
and prominent Christian workers are chiefly in- 
debted for their growth in Scriptural knowledge. 
Some who have never heard him speak have 
heard his sayings through the lips of more popu- 
lar Evangelists, and thus his teaching has gone 
abroad to the ends of the earth. A letter from 
a beloved pastor has just come to hand, as we 
write, in which he remarks, " I thank God for 
the life and work of Henry Moorhouse, and do 
believe, under God, that all I have of truth, 
that is deeepest, most penetrating and precious, 
was brought me three years ago by him." Two 
questions revolve themselves in the mind of the 
writer : — ' 



26 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

1. Who need despair of salvation ? Oh ! the 
tender, all-embracing love of God for sinners. 
Dear Henry Moorhouse was a brand plucked 
out of the fire, saved bj grace through the blood 
of the Lamb. Is there not efficacy in that aton- 
ing blood for you my reader ? 2. Why should 
the weakest child of God limit the power of the 
Holy Spirit ? Henry was a weak instrument, an 
empty vessel — hence God's pleasure in employ- 
ins: him. And what cannot our God do where 
there is a willing mind and a consecrated life ? 
With Him nothing is impossible; with faith all 
things are possible. Oh ! that He might in- 
crease our faith, that we may no longer question 
His willingness to serve His own cause through 
us, and thus speedily hasten His kingdom and 
glory. 



CHAPTER III, 

THEOLOGICAL TUTOR. 

John Hamblefcon — Vain Efforts — All in Christ — The Come- 
dian turned Preacher — Fu'st Sermon — An early Moody 
and Sankey — Eunning Waters — Henry's College — 
Silent Preaching. 

John Hambleton, a man of peculiar gift, 
raised up like Elijah, or John the Baptist, to 
denounce the sins and follies of this present evil 
age, was among the first of those itinerant Evan- 
gelist's closely identified with the Revivals so 
general throughout England and Ireland, from 
1860 to 1864. He introduced Henry Moorhouse 
to the great work of his life; watched over him 
with the love of a mother; nursed him bodily 
and spiritually; corresponded with him when 
oceans separated them ; welcomed him on his 
return home from other lands; ministered to 
him on his dying bed; heard his farewell words, 
and with other devout men, bore him to the 
silent grave. 

(27) 



28 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

On the 1st day of April, 1851, John Hamble- 
ton leaped from the ship on to the pierhead at 
Liverpool, after an absence of seventeen years, led 
by an invisible hand through many dangers, hav- 
ing had frequent escapes from death and destruc- 
tion. He had been thrown out upon the waves 
of circumstances when a boy, and now found him- 
self in his native city — a man without a home 
and without God. 

As his feet again touched the land of his birth, 
a silent prayer went upward, so he stated in one 
of his addresses, something like this: "As a fool 
I have climbed the ladder of folly all my days; 
now, Lord God, do Thou give me understanding; 
make me from this time wise to know Thee, that 
from this hour my soul may climb the ladder 
which Jacob saw, whose top reached up to heav- 
en." .The prayer was sincere, and was heard of 
Him who knoweth the secrets of all hearts. 
JSTone but He could have prompted the desire. 
Six weeks had only passed since special direction 
had been given how to fly from the hands of men 
who sought Jiis life in a foreign land, making 
his way of deliverence clear as by a miracle, 
when American pistols were loaded for his life 
in one place, and Mexican bayonets j^ointed at 
his breast in another. Again, at one time he 



THEOLOGICAL TUTOR. 29 

was delivered when lying under a tree, a spot of 
earth having been marked out for his grave, and 
at another, when he had lain down to die in a 
jonrney through a desert. Again, he was deliv- 
ered from drowning when the long weeds en- 
twined his body in deep water, so that he could 
not swim. Thus he expresses himself at the 
time: "I had been climbing up and falling down 
the ladder of death until I was brought to see 
myself like a little insect blown about this pres- 
ent world; as a poor worm of earth, crawling 
about, ready to be trampled under foot of my 
fellow- man or of the beasts of the-; field— none 
caring for my soul — when some invisible helper 
coming to my rescue, seemed to take me by the 
hand as a guide unknown." Six weeks had gone 
since he left San Francisco, where outward ene- 
mies and many troubles had hemmed him in on 
every side. 

In searching for his relatives on his arrival at 
Liverpool two sisters were found, themselves in 
the furnace of afiliction, yet, like Martha and 
Mary, abiding together, who were happy to wel- 
come their long-lost brother, brought back again 
as one raised from the dead. 

Under deep conviction Hambleton sought 
peace for his soul. Many were the expedients 



30 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORROUSE. 

attempted, but all in vain. In the month of May 
he hurried to the world's fair at Sydenham, but 
in that palace of art he found no rest. Leav- 
ing the scene of pleasure, he paced the streets 
alone, when his eyes rested on a book store, 
liere he lingered and bought a Bible. Begin- 
ning at the Old Testament he read until the 
fiery law of Sinai, with all its terrors, augmented 
his convictions. 

JSfight and day he felt the hand of God heavy 
upon him, and his moisture was turned into the 
drought of summer. Being a comedian by pro- 
fession, he now supposed his theatrical books and 
dresses must fbe sacrificed before he could find 
pardon. Burning every vestage of the Baylonish 
garments, and not obtaining salvation through 
his supposed good work, he next chopped, with 
an axe, a sofa-bed, thinking it too ornamental, 
and fostering to human pride. But this " work 
of the flesh" still left him without peace, and in 
greater soul-agony than before. At last fearing 
he had committed the unpardonable sin, and 
that hell yawned at his feet, whilst remorse 
for the sins and follies of the past life, burned like 
a red-hot iron in his breast, he was tempted by 
the Evil One to escape present distress by sui- 
cide. Oh ! what a wise and powerful foe relent- 



THEOLOGICAL TUTOR, 31 

lessly pursues the awakened soul! — now seeking 
to lead to false peace, and anon urging the temp- 
tation that the day of grace is over. 

Rushing from the scene of temptation, the 
penitent went to his room, and spent the night 
in prayer and reading the Bible. These were in- 
deed hours of blessing to his soul. Before the 
light of morning streamed in upon him the 
divine rays from the word had illuminated his 
dark mind, and he became a new creature in 
Christ Jesus. Joy now took the place of agony ; 
he tasted the sweets of liberty, and was gracious- 
ly delivered from all his fears. Believing the 
word of salvation, his eye of faith turned to Jesus 
crucified, through whose precious blood he had 
redemption, even the forgiveness of sins. The 
following is a leaf from his experience: 

" On the morrow I was led into Mr. Lowe's 
church, called St. Jude's. He went on with the 
form of prayers and lessons from the Prayer- 
book, which had no teaching or instruction for 
me whatever, until he took his text and began 
to preach Christ from Col. iii, 3, 4, ' For ye are 
dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God; 
when Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then 
shall ye also appear with Him in glory.' His 
description of a soul, quickened by the power of 



32 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

God's Spirit, showed wliat I had already been 
passing through a death unto sin and a new 
life unto righteousness. But when he opened 
up the second coming of Christ, and the first 
resurrection, when all who are risen now by 
faith with Christ should then rise in glorified 
bodies, and be with Him and see Him as He 
is, this was real and sincere milk of the "Word 
to my new-born soul, which, as a babe in Christ, 
just needed breasts of consolation. But no 
sooner had I returned from the preaching than 
Satan again suggested, Yes, Christ will appear, 
but does not the Scriptures say, He will make 
his enemies his footstool? and this fiery dart 
caused me to feel myself as the enemy of Christ 
on my hands and knees, while our Lord sat on 
his throne judging the nations, with his feet on 
ray back for his footstool. But Satan's malicious 
power was not quite so strong now, for there 
was a greater power within. The Lord had 
come to his temple. Yet my soul was only a 
new-born babe in Christ, and the enemy having 
for years past had me as a drudge amidst all the 
fiction of a theatrical career, filling my mind 
with vanities and my constitution being broken, 
he had all the more access to my vain imagina- 
tion, both to work his wiles upon body and 



THEOLOGICAL TUTOR. 33 

mind. ]^o doubt he is aware of the charac- 
ters he loses ; those who have been his greatest 
slaves are often, when converted, used for Christ 
with greater danger to his kingdom of darkness." 

This newly saved soul must now spread abroad 
the knowledge of Christ. He was called to 
preach in the following remarkable manner: 

One evening before getting into bed, much 
exercised about out-door preaching, he asked the 
Lord for an especial direction, whether it were 
His will that he should go and preach His gospel 
or leave it alone. That same night, when in his 
sleep, his thoughts were directed to James's 
Lamp, near the Market-place. Crowds of peo- 
ple were busily engaged in tliis world's pursuits, 
passing rapidly on, and posting their way 
down to hel], some in ignorance, others willfully. 
With loud, energetic voice, warning them, he 
stood repeating, over and over again, only one 
text, Twenty-fourth chapter of Matthew, and the 
fourteenth verse. Awaking he struck a light, 
not knowing what the passage was, and he 
turned to it and read, " This gospel of the king- 
dom shall be preached in all the world for a loit- 
ness unto all nations; and then shall the end 
come." Thus his mind was exercised as to 
whether the Lord intended him for preaching 
His gospel. Again, when asleep, a man appear- 



24: RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORROUSE. 

ed to be crying bills about town, and he said 
with loud voice, " You will find it written in the 
first cha])er of the book of the prophet Jeremiah, 
and the fifth verse." "Waking again, he read 
this text, " Before I formed thee in the belly I 
knew thee ; and before thou camest forth out of 
the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee 
a prophet unto the nations." Like Jeremiah the 
prophet, his knees trembled at such a responsi- 
bility, and he went up stairs and read it to his 
two sisters. They were silent, knowing that 
God had been in the matter all along. 

Like the young colt on which never man sat, 
no man's religion had ever sat on John Hamble- 
ton, and our blessed Lord using the base and fool- 
ish things still, leaves no room for flesh to glory. 
What have we that we have not received? 

One evening, on Shaw's Brow, a general meet- 
ing-place for working men, two parties, Roman 
Catholics and Protestants, were hotly in discus- 
sion, and almost coming to blows which party 
belonged to the true church. It was given John 
to speak to both parties something like this: 
"Friends, the gospel of Christ is peace and good 
will to men, but ignorance of the truth of that 
gospel causes strife and enmity between men. I 
perceive you working men on both sides are not 
so much to blame, because each party believes 



THEOLOGICAL TUTOR. 35 

what they have been taught from their different 
ministers. You Irishmen have been taught at 
one school and you Englishmen at another. 
One believes what his priest says that he is right, 
and the other believes what his clergyman says 
that he is right. Now, the Word of God says 
there is none righteous. We are all like the man 
fallen among thieves; our lusts and passions of 
evil are the thieves which have robbed and 
wounded us. The priest of Rome passes on un- 
able to heal us, and clergy of the Church of Eng- 
land, the Levite, passes on the other side un- 
able to save us; but Jesus Christ, the Good 
Samaritan, does not pass us by. He cares for us, 
and is able to heal and save us all. His blood 
and rig-hteousness are the oil and wine from 
heaven which, poured into our wounded souls, 
gives peace with God, and He binds up the 
wounded spirit." Under such circumstances did 
he preach his iirst sermon. 

This was new preaching to these controversial- 
ists, and both Eomans and Protestants seemed 
pretty well satisfied; but another time a bellicose 
policeman took him by the collar, flourished his 
stick over his head, and delivered liim into the 
hands of a mob, who kicked liis legs to get hira 
down. But he knew he was in the hands of 
God. At that moment, a gentleman forced his 



36 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 



way through the crowd, and another man after 
him — each taking an arm, pnlled him out, and 
thus the Lord delivered him. The gentleman 
was named Reginald RadclifFe. It was the first 
time they met, but not the last, for the Lord 
was about to do a wonderful work through these 
two men at Liverpool. 

John Hambleton took his stand daily in the 
open air, exhorting sinners to flee from the wrath 
to come. He was soon given, in answer to 
prayer, as a yoke-fellow, the young Irishman 
Edward Lusher, who possessed a fine tenor voice. 
Together they went forth, preaching and singing 
the blessed Gospel. In 1854, Mr. Eadclifie 
liired a large hall for an all-day preaching ser- 
vice. A week of prayer was first held, that the 
Spirit of God would descend in power. Whole 
nights were spent in prayer, in preparation for 
the day, and earnest men and women were irre- 
sistibly drawn together to plead for souls. Ham- 
bleton writes of the occasion: 

'^ It was no earthly expectation swelling the 
glad hearts of those willing laborers in our 
Lord's vineyard on that especial morning — a 
foreshadowing ray of that bright appearing, 
when the Lord shall come in the glory of His 
power, to gather His saints from the dust into the 
eternal sunshine of His presence, to sing redeem. 



THEOLOGICAL TUTOR. 37 

ing anthems with everlasting joj upon their 
lieads. There was indeed a delightful token of 
the Day-spring from on high. The morning sun 
shone brightly, darting his rays upon us at the 
seven o'clock morning prayer, an earnest of the 
day's full blessing. The fire of Christian love 
burned glowingly upon the altar of brothers' and 
sisters ' hearts. Brother Iladclifi*e took the over- 
sight of the hall, while some labored inside, 
others outside. Before ten o'clock, the lower 
room was filled; by eleven, God's power began 
to take hold of sinners; by twelve, it was expedi- 
ent to remove anxious mourners groaning under 
conviction of sin to the upper room. Christians 
who happened to come there had their tal- 
ents brought into exercise, pointing the inquirers 
to Jesus. But the crowning point was now at 
hand. A band of singers from the Park end 
had been led of the Lord to the Lamp, with an 
especial hymn for the occasion. The company 
marched up towards the hall, singing — 

' " The blast of the trumpet, so loud and so shrill, 
Will shortly re-echo o'er ocean and hiU, 
When the mighty, mighty, mighty trumpet sounds, 

Come away, come away, 
Oh, may we be ready to hail that glad day." * 

The blending chorus of voices sounded to a 
distance, bringing hundreds from all quarters. 



38 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOOBIIO USE. 

On entering the hall the singers marched down 
the aisle towards the platform, without any 
pre-arrangement. Reginald Radcliffe, taking it 
as it came, leaped on the platform, called out 
half-a-dozen singers, and drafted them off to a 
certain part of the town, then another half-dozen 
to another place, and thus dispatched singers to 
several localities, in order that they might march 
down from thence to our center, the Lamp. 
]^ever was a more glorious sight than when 
those different bands came marching, their 
voices pealing over the town in praises of God 
and the Lamb. Poor harlots and drunkards, 
broken under the mighty power of God, were 
brought along with each company, all of which, 
joining at Lime-street, sang, and filled the Hall 
and streets. Preachers now began to address 
the people all around; souls were crying out all 
day, some springing into liberty. Rich and 
poor were brought under the power of the gos- 
pel; ladies in silk and satin dresses huddled up 
with poor ragged girls; men wearing gold chains, 
and thieves, down on their knees together, im- 
ploring pardon of their sins, until twelve o'clock 
at night." 

These were the running waters which broke 
out in 1854, and were running in 1860 — deeper 
than ever — when Henry Moorhouse was borne 



THEOLOGICAL TUTOR. 39 

on their blessed current into the life and love of 
God. The grave man of wide experience, and 
the vivacious lad, scarcely out of his teens, soon 
came together. Henry was very happy in the 
strength and wisdom of the rugged Evangelist, 
whilst John watched the playfulness of his young 
protege with quiet admiration, and the lonely 
man felt rich in the generous love and freshness 
of the boy. 

Strange indeed were the scenes through which 
Henry Moorliouse was first brought in the early 
days of his christian career. It may be truly 
said that Hambleton was Henry's tutor; his 
college the side of a haystack, a private room, a 
corner in a railway carriage, or wherever the 
man and the boy could find a quiet spot for Bible 
study. Their auditorium was frequently the 
open heavens; their congregation the lame, the 
halt, the poor, the blind. The common people 
heard them gladly, and to the poor they preached 
the Gospel of Jesus Christ, without money and 
without price. An incident in connection with 
John Hambleton's ministry, will not be out of 
place. 

Preaching one day in the town of White- 
haven, hearing the doctrine of man's inherent 
depravity enforced, a " Spiritualist" cried out, 
"Ko; man is not depraved. The child coming 



40 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

into the world is like a clean sheet of paper, and 
may write his own character on it for good or 
evil." " Bring your paper here, friend, and let 
ns examine it," answered the speaker. He 
came into the crowd very eagerly. "Do not 
little children die as well as aged people?" 
"Yes." " Why do they die, if the sheet of 
paper is clean?" He could not answer. "Be- 
cause they are born in sin, and the wages of sin 
is death; so death proves in the child that your 
theory is false. It is born in sin and defiled in 
birth, otherwise it would be clean and free from 
corruption. Nevertheless, the blood of Jesus 
has atoned for sin, and His dead body on the 
cross paj^s the debt, and man believing in Him 
may be free." The man paused, and as eagerly 
retreated as he had come forward, while a poor 
Irishman called after him, "Och! your sheet of 
paper is clane dirty." 

Thus were these men, untaught in the schools 
of human learning, able to wield the sword of the 
Spirit with consummate skill, and in the use of 
the ready wit sharpened outside of college 
doors, they could " answer a fool according to 
his folly." 

Sometimes extraordinary measures were em- 
ployed to reach the ears and hearts of the masses. 
Conjurers, burglars, pickpockets, skittle-sharp- 



THEOLOGICAL TUTOR. M 

ers and other professioPMl and noii-jjrofessional 
street Jiahitues were not allowed to perish in 
their ignorance and sin. Let the punctilious, 
who regard ])7'0])riety as the great factor in re- 
ligious life, take heed. Is it not a thousand-fold 
better that rich and poor, educated and ignorant, 
should be aroused to a sense of their eternal 
danger by seeming impropriety, than that 
through our superficial view^s of sin and spurious 
ethical taste we allow our hearers to glide witli 
propriety into hell fire ? 

John Hambleton and his early confreres were 
not possessed with much of that questionable 
sentiment which demands that we draw on 
our kid gloves before attempting to save the 
drowning man. The following narration may 
therefore shock the sensibilities of some who 
measure according to the rules of this world, but 
are ignorant of the leadings of the Holy Spirit 
of God. 

Being in the midst of a fair in Yorkshire, the 
spirit of Hambleton was stirred within him on 
the Lord's-day, when crowds filled the market- 
place, and scenes of drunkenness and cursing 
made his heart sick. His mind was impressed 
that he should go and stand on the top of a w^all, 
which was some ten or twelve feet high, the end 



42 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

of it opposite the open window of an upper room 
in a public-house, were drunkards, with pipes 
and pots, were singing, and playing music to 
sacred tunes. At first he hesitated, but just at 
that moment some local preachers came into the 
market and began to sing. Being a total strang- 
er, and not knowing whether they were Mor- 
mon ites or otherwise, he waited to hear them 
speak. The preacher gave out his text — " Quench 
not the Spirit." It came from the Lord to re- 
move his doubt. Immediately climbing up the 
old wall, and taking his open Bible, he stood as 
a living witness, yet silent as a statue, without 
his hat, on the summit of the wall, for an hour 
and a half. It was a most solemn time. The 
moving mass of people soon crowded together to 
gaze at the strange sight; faces were upturned 
at the open Bible in a man's hand, while he 
uttered not a word. The preachers themselves 
were astonished at the intense silence which per- 
vaded the whole scene. Soon and suddenly the 
revelers in the tavern hurried off; the preachers 
w^ent on preaching to such an immense audience 
as they never had either before or since; the 
whole mass of people seemed spell-bound for an 
hour and half; then when the benediction was 
pronounced by the preachers, the chief actor in 
the scene came down, hurried away nnperceived 



THEOLOGICAL TUTOR. 43 

into a distant field, and lieard some little 
children sweetly singing in the distance: 

*' There is a liappy land, far, far away, 

Where saints in glory stand, bright, bright as day." 

And his soul wept with joy in that lonely field 
as he meditated upon the happy land, far, far 
away, longing for that time when in glory we 
shall stand, bright, bright as day. 

To affect this strange conduct would be 
preposterous, but to act as a fool for Christ when 
prompted by the Spirit of God, is nobly to play 
the man. 



CHAPTER lY. 

THE COAL-PIT EVANGELIST. 

The Coal-pit Evangelist— Modem Thought— "God wants 
Men " — Weaver's First Address — Weaver's Popularity — 
Weaver's Style attracts Henry — Real Prayer. 

We cannot do justice to Henry's early 
christian life without writing at greater length 
of "Weaver, another fellow laborer, whose style 
of preaching he in a measure re-produced. 

Richard Weaver was for many years the most 
popular Evangelist who appeared before an 
English audience — a born orator, a good singer, 
and a man of extraordinary endurance. 'No man 
in modern days had such crowds to follow him, 
except it be Spurgeon and Moody. And few 
men have arisen who preached the gospel more 
faithfully, and presented the precious soul-saving 
truths of the Bible more forcibly than did he. 
For the past ten years this brother has been un- 
der a cloud, and his labors have therefore become 
restricted. It is not for us here to enter into the 
circumstances of the trial which well-nigh 
(44) 



THE COAL-PIT EVANGELIST. 45 

crushed him, and brought him to the verge of 
death with an attack of brain fever. The writer 
is well satisfied that Weaver is an innocent and 
an injured man, and has often hoped that his elo- 
quent words will once more be heard around the 
world, testifying the Gospel of the grace of God. 
He was Henrj^'s spiritual father, and with Ham- 
bleton carried the precious remains to the grave, 
where he participated in the funeral services. 

His conversion in answer to the prayers of an 
aged, and sorely tried mother, sufficiently proves 
the superhuman power of the Holy Spirit of 
God. The man who, one night in a frenzy, flung 
down the stairs his sainted old mother, and then 
sought to take his own life, must have been pos- 
sessed of devils. But very soon after, the profli- 
gate son becomes a son of God. While yet faint 
from the fall, and pressing her hands against her 
broken ribs, the old Shropshire Christian cried 
out: "Lord, 'tis a hard thing to raise my boy until 
he is a man, and then have him turn on me so; but 
Lord, though Thou slayest me, yet will I trust 
in Thee;" and then turning her eyes towards her 
unnatural son, still wild with rage at the head of 
the stairs, she said with sobs and tears: "Richard 
I'll never give thee up, my lad, I'll never give 
thee up." E^or did she, till Richard came home 



46 BECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

one night clothed and in his riglit mind, a monu- 
ment to the power and love of God. 

"Weaver, after his conversion, paid a lad two 
pence a day to teach him how to read. Tliis was 
all the human education he received preparatory 
to hecoming a preacher. "We have no sympathy 
with the foolish idea, that the less a man knows 
the more useful will he become. The Bible of- 
fers no premium on ignorance; it presents no 
crown to stupidit}'-; it never rails at human 
learning. We are of opinion that the scholar, 
the man of culture, and thought, and study, 
may become the sharpest tool in God's hand. 
Let the highest talents become the holiest, and 
the noblest work will be executed. The culture 
of Paul, when controlled and directed by the 
Holy Spirit of God, could rise into a sphere of 
service, where Peter could not follow. But we 
are also of the opinion, most decidedly, that 
scholarlj^ accomplishments, and so-called "mod- 
ern thought," is the most futile weapon in spir- 
itual conflict when wielded by the impotent arm 
of human wisdom. Much of what is called sci- 
ence and philosophy, is the merest rubbish, and 
preachers who are trying to save souls, and 
hasten the Kingdom of God b}^ debating on the 
progressiveness of the age and the development 
of thought, while neglecting to give hungry 



THE COAL-PIT EVANGELIST, 47 

souls the Bread of Life, are the subjects of an 
awful delusion. Ilichard Weaver had no "cul- 
ture," and was a blundering scholar in the school 
of Christ, but we re-echo Adolphe Monod's 
statement, in saying that one warm blundering 
man will do more real good than a dozen frigid 
wise ones. And here we are reminded of an ut- 
terance of dear Henrj Moorhouse, when in his 
sleep he cried aloud: "God wants men; Christ 
wants men; the Holy Ghost wants men — men 
of truth, men of God." Men who fear God and 
hate sin; not blasphemers; for we regard "mod- 
ern thought," when not in subjection to God's 
thoughts revealed in His word, subtle impiety 
and daring blasphemy. God wants men, not 
puppets; men, not machines; men " wise-heart- 
ed," imbued with Divine power, whether of 
small or great calibre; men anointed by the Holy 
Ghost, to preach His word; men who have man- 
hood enough to recognize the claims of God, and 
preach the preaching that He bids them. We 
need preachers like Saul of Tarsns, who could 
say, " if I yet pleased men I should not be the 
servant of Christ " — not cow^ards like Saul of Ben- 
jamin, who "feared the people and obeyed their 
voice." 

On a Good Friday an announcement was made 
that some of- the ministers would speak at an 



48 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

open-air meeting in Hyde Market. "When the 
time came not a single minister was to be seen. 
An immense crowd had gathered from the coun- 
try round, and the collier who had before related 
his experience, was invited to speak. This was 
the first public assembly Hicbard Weaver had 
addressed. His whole speech seemed directed 
against landlords and public-houses, telling what 
God had delivered him from. He had a peculiar 
flow of natural, unsophisticated eloquence, tak- 
ing hold of the names of the public-houses — 
" Dog and Duck," the " Pig and Whistle," the 
^'Blue Pig," the "White Pig," and the "Boar's 
Head." He seemed like a locomotive engine, 
running at full speed into Hyde market-place, up 
setting wagon loads of Dogs, Ducks, Pigs and 
Public! an s. It was at once settled in the minds 
of the brethren that the Lord would bring that 
man out of the pit. 

A man may have ability for work, but faith 
is required to enable him to give up his living, 
and trust in the Lord for daily bread. Waiting 
in prayer about the matter, a second meeting 
was announced one week evening, when Pichard 
Weaver w^s announced to speak. Immediately 
after John Street and Peginald Padcliffe took 
the matter in hand to bring Weaver out of the 
pit, and send him forth to preach. 



THE COAL-PIT EVANGELIST. 49 

It was of this Preacher a few years after, the 
Editor of the British Herald wrote: 

"Richard "Weaver preaching in Dr. Cand- 
lisli's pulpit was giving him a recognition in 
Scotland as an Evangelist, the same as if he 
were found preaching in Westminster Abbey 
or St. Paul's in London. And a happy day it 
would be for England if those two noble struct- 
ures, and all the cathedrals throughout the land, 
were restored to their original use, and had 
Richard Weaver appointed as Cathedral Evan- 
gelist. We write this in downright earnest; for 
these cathedrals were originally intended for 
the masses of the people to meet in for their 
spiritual henefit; and it is a pity to exclude 
the people from them, and devoted and talented 
men like Richard Weaver, who could waken 
their echos with the trumpet-utterance of the 
glorious gospel of Christ, and till the largest of 
them with eager multitudes of perishing sin- 
ners, to hear the gospel of God poured forth 
like a river of life from living lips, to the con- 
version of thousands, and the glory of the 
mighty Lord. 

We solemnly and in real earnest urge those 

whom it may concern to get him an entrance 

into those great gospel halls, originally built for 

the people — the cathedrals of England. Let 

4 



50 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

people laugh as thej may at sncli a proposal, 
we deal only with the ought, and that is how it 
ought to be, as a matter of ecclesiastical right; 
as a bit of common sense it would not be amiss; 
and as to the results, it would do much to roll 
awaj the standing reproach that cathedral towns 
are uniformly the deadest places in the kingdom, 
an utter disgrace to the religion of the land." 
Weaver's style could not be reported any more 
than Gough's. He was a strong man, carrying 
his audience with him as with the onward rush of 
a mighty river. His favorite text was John iii, 
16; which also 'became the constant theme of 
brother Moorhouse. One evening in the City of 
London Theatre, Weaver spoke to a dense throng 
of people from the text, " His name shall be 
called Wonderful." The portraiture of the wond- 
erful Saviour was exceedingly good — His wonder- 
ful nature, His wonderful wisdom. His wonderful 
works, His wonderful love, power, etc. The 
sermon was full of vivid description, and closed 
as follows: "My brother, my sister, are not 
-you and I wonders? We remember the time 
when we were blind to the love of God; to the 
beauty of Christ ; blind to heaven and to hell ; 
blind to our own state ; led about, not by a dog, 
but by the lion of hell ; but, glory be to God, 
Christ has cut his chain, and we are free, new 



THE COAL-PIT EVANGELIST. 51 

creatures in Christ Jesus. Isn 't it wonderful ? 
I was preaching three or four weeks ago in a 
place where I used to live, and a man was there 
who used to work by my side in a coal-pit. 
' Who'd ever have thought,' said he, " of Weaver 
coming and preaching to us ; why it 's wonder- 
ful.' People say the age of miracles is over. I 
don't believe it; it's a miracle, friends, that 
we're out of hell; it's wonderful. Yes, poor 
sinner, mercy 's door is wide open for thee to- 
night; and, though thou art nothing but filth 
and dirt, our wonderful Brother, Jesus, says, 
* Come in.' Oh, it 's wonderful. Yes, the fire 
is burning, the worm is gnawing, devils are 
howling, damned souls are screaming for a drop 
of water to cool their tongue; but, sinners,, here 
to-night the blood is pleading for thee. Oh, it's 
wonderful!" Several declared, by uplifted hands, 
that there and then they had, according to Rich- 
ard 's expression, "taken their seat in the 
mercy-house." 

At one time there was great commotion 
throughout England on the subject of Baptis- 
mal regeneration. Mr. Spurgeon dealt this 
false gospel some heavy blows. When preach- 
ing for the great Baptist Pastor during these 
exciting times, from the text, "We have re- 
demption through his blood, the forgiveness of 



52 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHO USE. 

sins," "Weaver referred to tlie question some- 
what as follows: — ''It is only fair to hear both 
sides; and I have read Mr. Spurgeon's sermon, 
and an answer by a curate, I believe, of a 
church called St. Paul's, somewhere here in 
London. Now this man says that he never 
finds anywhere in the New Testament that 
baptized Christians are to be born again. No 
more do I. I don't believe that baptized Christ- 
ians are to be born again, but I believe that 
baptized unregenerate sinners must be born 
again. I went through all the ceremonies, I 
was baptized and I was confirmed, but was I 
regenerate when I was cursing, drinking, fight- 
ing, gambling? And as to my godfathers and 
godmothers, why, my godfather was the man 
who backed me in my first battle. Was I re- 
generated in my baptism? No, my friends, if 
the devil can get poor sinners depending on 
this thing and that thing for salvation, it is all 
he wants; but if we can get a poor sin-sick soul 
to Jesus, to see Him bearing his sins in His own 
body on the tree he finds salvation. We have 
redemption through his blood. Life, sinner, 
for thee and me is in the blood." 

Once we heard this doughty Preacher, when 
speaking on the death of Abel, thrill the audi- 
ence by shouting, "thank God there was a 



THE COAL-FIT EVANGELIST. 53 

liallelujah. heard in heaven by a redeemed sin- 
ner before there was a groan in hell from a 
lost one." 

That Weaver 's preaching had great fascina- 
tion for young Moorhouse there is not the 
slio^htest doubt. The stirrinoj incidents of the 
collier, the simplicity and terseness of his sen- 
tences, his colloquial style, and his tremendous 
earnestness, captivated many a young preacher 
as well as Henry. The following open letter was 
written by the subject of our '* Kecollections," 
after one of Weaver 's services: 

" It is now about a year since the Lord gave 
me faith to trust entirely upon His arm, and to 
leave all for the sake of Jesus. Since then I 
have visited many places in England and Ire- 
land, and in some little measure the Lord has 
blessed my labors. 

^'Beloved brethren in the Lord Jesus, especially 
those brought to the knowledge of the truth 
during the last twelve months in Bradford, 
Halifax, Scarborough, and Chester, I wish to 
impress upon you the necessity of mueh praijer. 
This desire has been placed in my own soul by 
hearing the Lord speak by Bichard Weaver the 
other ni2:ht in Dublin. 

''When the Lord made me happy in Jesus 
about three years ago, I spent every night either 



54 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

in prayer or praise. But after a little while mj 
desire for prayer cooled down, and I was content 
to pray twice a day. The Lord in mercy has 
revived his work in my soul, and now my desire 
is to pray always. 

" What precious promises are given to every 
one of us! and it is by pondering on what the 
"Word of God really promises that we are led to 
act upon that Word. The Word declares that 
" whatsoever things ye desire when ye pray, be- 
lieve that ye receive them, and ye shall have 
them." Now there is large scope in these 
words; the Lord Jesus has not restricted us to 
any particular object. But whatsoever ye de- 
sire / — first there is to be a desire, and I believe 
the Spirit Himself places that desire in our souls ; 
and then we are to pray, for the Lord will be in- 
quired of ; then we are to believe, and all 
things are possible unto them that believe. 

" Beloved friends in Christ, have you a desire 
to see the Lord's work revive in your own town or 
family? Would you like to see sinners crying 
out for mercy and made heirs of glory? Do 
you desire to see the arm of the Lord awake, 
and miracles of mercy wrought in this your 
day? If so, thank God there is the Jirst thing, 
''^whatsoever ye desired 

" ]^ow Christ said, whatsoever ye desire when 



THE COAL-PIT EVANGELIST, 55 

ye pray. When and for how long ought I to 
pray, is the next question. Did not Jesus say, 
'Men ought always to pray;' and he gives us 
examples, such as the Widow and the unjust 
Judge, the Man and his Friend. Pray alway, 
means whenever I can get a moment with 
the Lord. At my work; in the house; at 
home or abroad; on my knees or on my feet; in 
my bed or at my business, pray always, and 
faint not, for in due time we shall reap. 

" When ye pray, plead and wrestle with the 
Lord for that which is upon your soul, whatso- 
ever it may be. If it be a revival of the gospel, 
pray for that. If you desire the conversion of 
ydur relatives, pray for that. Whatever good 
you really desire, pi*ay for it. There is no limit 
to your prayers if the things asked for be 
really desired. 

" But the words of our Lord are, ' Whatsoever 
ye desire when ye pray, 'believe.'' The blessed 
Lord gives us whatever we desire when we pray, 
upon one condition. That condition is faith in 
Himself. The desire may be burning in our 
hearts, and we may pray alway, and never faint; 
but the Lord has not promised to give us our 
desires for praying, but he is bound by his own 
word to give us our desires if we pray helieving, 
God can not deny Himself, He will not deny 



56 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

His word, and if any of the Lord's children, 
however unworthy, have the two requisite con- 
ditions — first the desire and then the faith^ and 
obey the injunction ^ra^/ God, will surely hear, 
and in mercy answer. 

" I ask your prayers for myself, and for all the 
dear laborers in the vineyard of Christ. May 
God give you a desire to pray, and faith to be- 
lieve that He will use us for His honor and 
glory. Desire — pray — believe." 

This was one of Henry's first literary efforts. 
He was not expert as a writer. Like other 
men his thoughts flowed too rapidly to be 
chained and transfixed on paper, especially when 
his mind had not been disciplined, or hand accus- 
tomed to the pen. In later years he deemed it 
a labor to write even letters of friendship, un- 
less some specific object demanded it. 



CHAPTER Y. 



"FIDDLER JOSS." 



Another Brother — Joshua and Mrs. Poole — ^The Great 
Change — The "Fiddler's" Letter — ^The Disciplmarian. 

Another brother to whom Henry was deeply 
attached, and wlio still labors amongst the de- 
graded masses in England, is Joshua Poole. 
Brought to Christ in Bradford jail prior to 
Moorhouse's conversion, at liis release he 'left 
prison walls behind him a free man in Christ. 

His former life had been that of a roam- 
ing musician, playing for the basest com- 
pany in the lowest public houses. Then he 
was known by his neighbors as " the drunken 
fiddler." After earnest entreaty from his par- 
ents, his suffering wife was induced to swear her 
life against him. "Joss" was remanded to 
Bradford prison by the judge for six months. 
There he suffered the untold horrors of delirium 
tremens on his incarceration. There also he was 
restored to his right mind, being gloriously con- 
verted whilst studving the Bible in his lonely 
(57) 



58 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENR Y MOORHOUSE. 

cell. On his release he immediately went abbut 
doing good, and having grown in knowledge 
and power, was led into public service for Christ. 
Gentlemen of ripe Christian experience who 
were filled with zeal for souls, urged him to the 
front. Though not gifted with the penetration 
of Hambleton, the fluency of Weaver, nor the 
pathos of Moorhouse, yet Joshua proved himself 
a faithful witness for Christ. 

His dear wife, now with the Lord, was a true 
help-mate in his work. She was well skilled in 
Bible knowledge, and taught the people whom 
Joshua exhorted. They usually conducted the 
service by Joshua giving out a hymn, and stat- 
ing, in half-a-dozen sentences, who he was and 
what he had been. JSText, Mrs. Poole prayed 
earnestly and fully for those present, enumera- 
ting certain classes as drunkards, wife-beaters, 
etc. This was followed by another hymn by 
Joshua, and another half-dozen sentences. Then 
Mrs. Poole, who had the advantages of physical 
energy and a good voice, read and spoke for 
about thirty-five to forty minutes, with much 
earnestness and truthfulness. She depicted very 
fully (because, alas! she had learned the terrible 
lesson in the school of bitter experience) the 
misery of a drunkard 's home, and the ruinous 
effects of sin, both now and hereafter, on parents 



FIDDLER JOSS." 59 



and children. The gospel, as promised to 
Adam, repeated to Abraham, alluded to by 
Isaiah as foretelling One who should bind up 
broken hearts, and be the "Prince of peace," 
2indi fulfilled in the life and death of Christ, was 
clearly stated. A fervent testimony to the value 
of the peace the gospel brings, and an earnest 
appeal to all to yield their hearts to God, closed 
her testimony. 

At the close of her address a few more verses 
were sung, and Joshua spoke; and from the mo- 
ment he opened his lips the attention of that 
rough audience was riveted. The substance of 
his address was to show them the folly and ruin- 
ousness of their evil course, and the present and 
eternal advantages of "coming to Christ." He 
told them what he had been, but in such a way 
as magnified the grace of God, and dealt with 
his hearers in a way they could understand. The 
midnight boose and the morning headache and 
sickness, the twirl of the halfpenny, the cut and 
shuflie of the pack, " champaign " at night and 
"real pain" in the morning, the preparation for the 
running-match, and the relative effects of wheth- 
er he won or lost, were all done as well as de- 
scribed; but all through, the antithesis of all 
this in the cross, heaven, holy joy, and future 
bliss, was kept up; so that while the works of 



60 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHO US:^. ' 

the flesh, in ruin and wretchedness, were well 
brought out, the truths of the "Word of God and 
the great verities of the gospel were also present- 
ed. Afterwards he produced the violin Richard 
Weaver gave him, and he and his w^ife played 
and sung the ''Pilgrim's Home," and other 
hymns, very sweetly. Some Christians would 
probably object to this, but it was very well 
done, and evidently suited the audience, while 
they could not fail to see that there was far 
sweeter music in Zion's songs than in the tap- 
room noise. 

Speaking at Bradford on one occasion at the 
scene of his old debaucheries, he exclaimed: — 
''Look at me; for seventeen years a poor 
drunken fiddler; what has made the mighty 
change? The religion of Jesus! Ah, yes, 
working men, the religion of Jesus makes happy 
homes; it can make happy, it does make happy, 
it will make happy. Poor sinner, come to Jesus. 
He has washed me from my sins in His blood, 
and made me ready to die. I have a smiling 
wife and happy children to meet me now when 
I go home. I don't sleep on straw now, I sleep 
on feathers. The devil doesn 't like me to talk 
about my happy home, but I will talk about it. 
All isn't right when the poor little children run 
out of the way at the sight of their father at the 



''FIDDLER JOSS." 61 

door, coming home more like a devil than a man. 
Some of YOU know something about it. Would 
to God the landlord and landlady had to wear 
the poor drunkard's clothes. If you want to 
keep your clothes from the pop-shop, come to 
Jesus. I have nothing to do with two-to-one 
now. You that love the Lord here, be in earn- 
est; what good you might do! Do you speak 
to your neighbors about Jesus? When the 
woman of Samaria got converted there was a re- 
vival in the town. Oh, what a friend is. Jesus! 

* " Earthly friends may fail and leave us, 
One day soothe, the next day grieve us, 
But this friend will ne 'er deceive us : 
Oh, how He loves." ' 

The subjoined characteristic letter of Joshua's 
in which mention is made of Henry, was writ- 
ten soon after these brethren had become per- 
sonally acquainted: 

''Beloved Brother in Christ!" 

" You will be glad to hear of the Lord's work 
here. In coming among them, I found a happy 
band of converts gathered by the labours of our 
brethren Hambleton, Moorhouse, etc., but not 
having a room large enough to hold their meet- 
ings in, they have had, from time to time, to flit 
about and take such places as offered. !Now the 
Lord has opened a way for his little ones, and a 



62 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE, 

room is taken for five years, called the ' Bethesda 
Koom,' where large meetings are now held to 
gather in the poor outcasts of society. 

On Sunday last, we held a meeting on the 
sands in the afternoon, when a large company 
gathered around us to hear words whereby they 
might be saved, and a general invitation was 
given to the evening meeting at half-past six. 
The greatest sinners were specially invited, and 
the place was filled to overcrowding, many not 
being able to get in, and God blessed his own 
word to the conversion of many precious souls." 

On monday night, the room was filled with 
just the very class desired — drunkards, swearers, 
gamblers, etc. ; and, blessed be God, it was good 
to be there. The prayer-meeting was crowded 
with anxious inquirers. One poor man said he 
was too bad and had no clothes, and that they 
would not take him in at other places. Whilst 
speaking to him of Jesus as the sinner's Friend, 
and telling him that there was none that came 
unto Him that should be cast out, he jumped 
up and went and knfelt down, and was made 
happy in the divine love of our dear Redeemer. 
Another young man said all was true that I 
said, and wished he was as happy as I. He 
said people would not look at him. He was 
pointed to Jesus, and was told that what God 



" FIDDLER JOSS." 63 

had done for me He was willing to do for him, 
when he cried out the publican's prayer, ' Lord 
be merciful to me a sinner.' A well-dressed 
man near to us told me that this poor fellow 
was one of the biggest blackguards in Scarbor- 
ough. Blessed be the Lord, his soul was set at 
liberty, and, while singing praises to God from 
whom all blessings flow, I said to him, ^ How 
are you now, brother?' With tears running 
down his cheeks he said, ' Happy,' and, seizing 
me by the hand, he said, 'God bless you; I 
have been as bad as you, but now I begin a new 
life.' Every corner of the room seemed filled, 
so that there was not even any more standing 
ground, whilst those who occupied the platform 
cheerfully gave up their seats and squatted on 
the floor." " Yours in Jesus, 

Joshua Poole." 

Yery blessedly the preaching of this uneduca- 
ted man was owned of God to the classes who 
eagerly listened to his earnest words. Nor only 
have the rougher portions of society been bene- 
fitted by Poole's living messages, but many of 
the higher circles who were missed by the more 
polished sentences of cultured men have been 
wounded between the joints of the harness by the 
rude arrows speeding forth from his bow. 

The first time Dr. Barnardo, the London phil- 



64 BECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

antliropist, heard ''Joss" in Dublin, Le was so 
shocked at his extravagances that he called him 
aside at the close of the service and administered 
him such a rebuke as would dampen the ardor 
of a less zealous man. When he finished his 
private lecture to the transgressing Evangelist, 
*' Joss " leaned towards him until his mouth was 
placed close to Barnardo 's ear, and then with ter- 
rific force he shouted the word " glory." It was 
like the sharp crack of a rifle, and the ear of the 
disciplinarian stung with the bullet-like word of 
the ofifensive preacher. But the good Doctor 
lost no love for Joshua. Many an invitation has 
he since given him to London where in his great 
tent and chapel Poole has preached with con- 
summate skill and power. On our last visit to 
London we heard " Joss " from Barnardo's 
pulpit give a touching address, whilst his aged 
father occupied one of the chairs on the rostrum 
beside him. Henry and Joshua were much to- 
gether, and had on many occasions spent whole 
nights in prayer, pleading with God that they 
might be used in winning many souls to Christ. 



CHAPTEE YI. 

THE SCHOOL OF EXPERIENCE. 

The Hatless Preacher — Henry's Auctioneering — Henry and 
Shakspeare — Henry and Epsom Races — ^A Heart for God 
the Great Desideratum — The Baby Show — Theatre 
Preaching — Was it an Imp ? 

A STEANGE man visited Manchester. He wore 
no hat, but had a long beard, and his hair was 
thrown back. A piece of green baize was fastened 
over his shoulders, shawl-fashion, and he had also 
leathern knee-breeches and boots. He carried a 
good sized Bible under his arm, full oi strings 
and pencil marks. His past life had been very 
reckless, bearing arms in the ranks of the Chart- 
ists. He was brought under conviction and led 
to Christ through the efforts of Eeginald Ead- 
cliffe. Immediately after his conversion, havmg 
heard that Sir Isaac N^ewton took off his hat 
when he thought upon God, this extraordinary 
man resolved to out-do him, for he would not 
wear a hat at all. This vow he faithfully kept 
for eight years under the bitterest persecution. 
5 (65) 



6Q RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOOBHOUSE. 

This brother was very legal, seeking a fleshly 
perfection of conformity to the outward appear- 
ance of the humble Christ, though earnest in 
desire to serve Him. His zeal was misdirected 
through lack of judgment and knowledge of the 
"Word, which condemns every fair show in the 
flesh, l^evertheless God used the eccentric indi- 
vidual who would leave wife and child to visit the 
fairs, races and wakes, where he warned sinners to 
" flee from the wrath to come." His language 
was neither ambiguous nor polite. John Ham- 
bleton writes of him; "All fear of man had left 
him. His method of exhortation was to walk up 
and down, either in the street or before a grand- 
stand on a race course, denouncing all alike, rich 
and poor, who were still unconverted, shouting 
at the top of his voice, 'The way to the race- 
course is the way to hell fire; it is a hotbed of 
blacklegs, harlots and whoremongerSj gamblers, 
thieves, pickpockets, and all kinds of vice; you 
are all going down to hell fire, except you repent 
and get washed in the blood of the Lamb!' re- 
peating this over and over again, in carriages and 
omnibuses, to foot passengers and those riding on 
horseback, striking terror into the consciences of 
some, while others mocked and persecuted. He 
has been drawn off the course with a rope round 
his neck, still crying aloud his one theme. He 



THE SCHOOL OF EXPERIENCE. 67 

traveled many miles, always on foot, sleeping 
out of doors in empty houses or anywhere he 
could lie down, always giving away tracts when 
he had them, living abstemiously, and appearing 
washed very clean every day, while his outward 
garb would become a monk. 

One day at Stockport fair, without any cere- 
mony, he walked on to the stage of a show and 
began speaking to the crowd as if it had be- 
longed to him. His appearance drew a con- 
course of people, who, after listening a few min- 
utes to his terrible denunciations, stayed to hear 
the gospel from others, and there was a good 
hearing. 

On another occasion, the jockeys had carried 
him into a public-house, and covered him all 
over with ilour, and his white face and head, to- 
gether with his rude dress, gave him a singular- 
ly attractive appearance. Rich and poor on the 
road stopped to look, while he went on with his 
sermon, 'The way to the races is the way to 
hell fire,' etc., fearless of what any might say or 
do. A man took hold of his coat; he slipped it 
off and let him take it, without being interrupt- 
ed in his warning words, which, in many in- 
stances, were as nails fastend in sure places by 
the Master of assemblies." 

I have given a somewhat lengthened account 



68 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOOEHOUSE. 

of tliis singular preacher, as in the following 
manner he became the means of calling Henry 
Moorhonse from a secular and questionable 
employment to devote his whole life to the work 
of an Evangelist. 

One evening when Henry was engaged in 
crying his wares as auctioneer of " l^otions," and 
rapping for bids, the hatless man suddenly ap- 
peared before him and cried aloud: "Thou ought 
to have thy Bible in thy hand out amongst the 
people, and not that hammer for the devil," and 
immediately departed. That short, terrible 
speech, was like a thunderbolt falling on Henry, 
and the words gave a harder blow than he could 
stand. He at once dropped the auctioneer's 
hammer, went to Liverpool, sought out Ham- 
bleton, and entered with him on an evangelistic 
tour through the Provinces. Since that date 
Henry labored in the special work of evangel- 
ism, witliout a fixed salary, or human promise 
of support. 

John Hambleton the preacher, Edward Usher, 
the singer, and Henry Moorhouse the young 
and fervid disciple, attended the Ter-centenary 
of William Shakspeare at Stratford-on-Avon. 
We furnish John Hambleton's report: 

"Bibles, Testaments, tracts and text-boards 
plainly printed, were our weapons of warfare. 



THE SCHOOL OF EXPERIENCE. 69 

A large pavilion or theatre had been built for 
the purpose of operatic displays, masked balls, 
and general amusement; the performance of 
plays, concerts of sacred music, and similar 
things that the sons of men delight in, were 
announced on the walls. People wore the im- 
age of Shakspeare, stamped npon silver medals, 
on their breasts; shops and bazaars were fur- 
nished with heads, busts, likenesses, etc., of the 
play-writer, all differing, yet all professing to 
be the true picture of the great man. After 
having in prayer besought God's blessing on 
our testimony to 'Jesus only,' we went forth 
with text-boards belted upon ns and lifted above 
the heads of all. 'Christ for me; Praise the 
Lord, Mercy's free,' was read by thousands 
of the spectators. We had not been long 
out, when a procession of great people, led 
on by a fife and drum, marched to the 
pavilion — archbishops, bishops, deans, clergy, 
and other great men, wearing blue and other 
colored sashes across their shoulders, with a. 
medal of Shakspeare hanging on their breasts 
near their hearts. * Christ for me,' in large t3^pe 
letters, was seen by all as they walked one way 
and we the other. Henry, standing amongst 
the crowd, was threatened to be removed as a 
nuisance. Hundreds of the clergy of all denom- 



70 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOOEHOUSE. 

inations, with fashionable ladies, sat down to 
listen to the operatic powers of London profes- 
sionals singing that portion of Scripture: 'He 
was wounded for our transgressions; He was 
bruised for our iniquities,' etc.; but, when thej 
came outside and read the very words held up 
in the name of the Lord by poor men, who had 
been snatched by the Spirit of God from Satan's 
kingdom and theatrical blasphemy, they raged 
and threw back into our faces the tracts which 
had been given to them. The opposers at 
Stratford were not the uncouth and ignorant 
Homanists of Lancashire, nor yet working me- 
chanics who had imbibed infidelity, but the 
Oxford and Cambridge representatives of re- 
fined civilization, and, moreover, many of them 
were the professed religious teachers of the 
people, and theologians of no mean colleges. 
Eut the spirit of error has deceived them, and 
they have taken the platform of the Sadducees. 
" The whole community were in high excite- 
ment concerning the grand procession of im- 
aginary characters from the principal plays of 
William Shakspeare, which was to pass through 
tlie town in gorgeons display as they had passed 
in the fertile brain of the poet. But when the 
works of men's hands are brought into the full 
glare of the summer's sun, it discovers all the 



THE SCHOOL OF EXPERIENCE. 71 

hidden tilings of darkness, as was proved when 
this great procession was seen at noon -day. The 
Jew slop-seller from London had brought his 
theatrical wardrobe to cover the poor hired 
tramps and beggars who had been employed to 
sustain the play writer 's characters. Horses of 
any description had been hired wherever they 
could be found. Carts were covered with glazed 
calico, and the whole display was squalid and 
dirty. 

^' The £:lories of Satan's kino^dom founded on 
the lie of unbelief, fade into vapor and death 
wlien brought into the light of day and contrast- 
ed with the truth as it is in Jesus Ghrist. One 
man, we were informed, who came up last, sit- 
ting pensively in the character of Hamlet, with 
lialf whitewashed face and black wig, had been a 
professor of religion and a class-leader amongst 
the Wesley an s, but had gone back to his vomit. 
Thinking it might be a w^arning to him, we held 
the text- board close to him that he might read 
' Christ for me.' Henry Moorhouse followed 
in the rear of the procession with his board lifted 
up, ' Christ for me,' as crowds of poor work- 
ing men and farm servants who had holiday on 
this last day, thronged the streets. When an 
envious equestrian came between Henry and the 
procession to turn him away, a ploughman took 



72 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

hold of his horse's tail and pulled him round, 
leaving the way open for Henry to follow up the 
motley concourse with texts of Scripture: 
'Jesus only;' 'He was wounded for our trans- 
gressions,' etc.; while the lips of hundreds of 
poor men were uttering the words, 

*' ' Christ for me, 
Praise the Lord, mercy's free.' " 

The first time Henry attended Epsom races as 
an Evangelist was in company with the undaunted 
Hambleton. Filling their wallets with tracts, 
and lifting their text-boards on their shoulders, 
these two children of the King tramped along 
the road leading to Epsom Downs. 

Crowded omnibuses, carriages and carts, horses 
and foot passengers thronged the road, until 
they were compelled to halt, and afterwards to 
move on slowly. " Jesus only," on one side of 
the road, in large letters, and " God is love," on 
the other side, was something so uncommon that 
it attracted all eyes, and reached many conscien- 
ces in the midst of the revelry. The enmity of 
the natural heart in many exhibited itself by vi- 
olence, while others mocked; the lash of the 
horsewhip left marks of hatred to the name of 
Jesus, and many missiles were thrown at them 
from omnibuses and costermongers' carts. Mem- 
bers of the legislature in coaches, lords and la- 



THE SCHOOL OF EXPERIENCE. 73 

dies, heard their warning voice; even the Prince 
of "Wales himself, in one of the carriages, was 
compelled to tarry and hear the word of truth 
sounded out, for the vehicles could only move 
slowly, so dense were tlie crowds from station 
and road which met at this one point. 

The following extract from the Times news- 
paper shows that a form of godliness is acknowl- 
edged by lovers of pleasure, but that the power 
of godliness, which lives above such pleasure, is 
literally hated: 

" DERBY DAY, 1864." 

" Pleasant it is to receive kindly words of en- 
couragement from spectators as you pass, evi- 
dently wishing that they, too, w^ere going to the 
Derby ; and when, with a smile, some female 
hand places in yours a paper which you discov- 
er to be a ' tract,' you credit the donor with a 
desire that in the midst of enjoyment you should 
not lose sight of serious things. But pleasant 
it certainly is not to encounter at a turn of the 
road tw^o men (Hambleton and Moorhouse), 
supporting placard-holders, which exhibit in 
gaudy colors, names and texts of the most 
solemn kind : one of these men, moreover, de- 
livering himself at half-minute intervals of sen- 



74 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

timents such as these : — ' The race is indeed 
short. The way down to the pit is easy,' etc. 
With certain persons reb'gion resolves itself into 
a systematic attribution of the very worst 
motives to their neighbors, and this looked 
very like a case in point." 

A clergyman going to the race with the others, 
had to pass the text-boards and accused them 
of bringing a reproach on the name of " our Sav- 
iour," laying great emphasis on " our Saviour." 
Upon which they replied: " If Jesus is your Sav- 
iour, tell us what has He saved you from ? He 
has saved us from the company of evil-doers, and 
from the race-course to which you are going, 
which is one mass of iniquity. He has redeemed 
His people from all sin, and from the things of 
the world, which they once loved. This is what 
otc7' Saviour has done for tis/ what has yotir Sav- 
iour done for youf You have a form of godli- 
ness; you wear a white neckcloth as a badge of 
your calling, and, for aught we know, you tell 
people on Sunday to serve the Lord, but on Mon- 
day you yourself go to the races, where they serve 
the devil. How can you call Him your Saviour 
when your fruit proves you are not saved? 
Where is the power of godliness to keep you sep- 
arate from the world lying in wickedness? Lov- 
ers of the pleasures of sin and of this sinful world 



THE SCHOOL OF EXPERIENCE. 75 

can talk about ' our Saviour' while they despise 
the pleasures of holiness, righteousness and 
truth, which are at His right hand forevermore." 
The clergyman could not stand the power of 
Bible truth, but he went on towards the race- 
course, nevertheless, not willing to return. 

We are reminded here of the grand words of 
"Wesley: "Give me one hundred preachers who 
fear nothing but sin, and desire nothing but God, 
and I care not a straw whether they be clergymen 
or laymen ; such alone will shake the gates of 
hell, and set up the kingdom of heaven upon 
earth." 

Such was the education which young Moor- 
house received as he accompanied these sturdy 
workers from place to place. And in this 
school of experience the Lord taught him that 
daily bread would be provided, let him but 
serve God with a true heart, and seek first His 
kingdom, then all other things would be added. 
From the day when Henry threw down his auc- 
tioneer's hammer until he fell asleep in Jesus he 
trusted in the God of Elijah for daily support, 
and the blessed Master never deserted him. One 
of his first experiences in this life of faith oc- 
curred when traveling wnth Hambleton to Scar- 
borough in England. While passing up a street 
in Bradford, a man met them in the road, and 



76 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

asked who tliey were. On receiving the answer, 
he called Hambleton on one side, took out his 
purse, put four sovereigns into his hand, saying, 
'* South Cave ; ask no more questions ;" and left. 
ISTow before they had started for Yorkshire, a 
letter had come to Liverpool, speaking of a vil- 
lage near Hull, in Yorkshire, called South Cave, 
and this was the Lord's way of furnishing their 
traveling expenses to it, and giving especial di- 
rection to visit South Cave. The man who gave 
the money was a perfect stranger to both. But 
the Lord knew their need for the journey, and 
gave them their expenses — four pounds in ad- 
vance. 

It was a stimulant to Henry's courage in after 
years to remember what daring deeds his early 
comrades in the gospel attempted, both in re- 
buking evil practices, and in preaching Christ. 
There was no public exhibition of a demoral- 
izing character, where it was possible to attend, 
that did not find John Hambleton with his 
awful trumpet-voice of warning, reading the 
denunciation of scripture against evil-doing. 
He was trul}^ a Boanerges, "a son of thunder." 

The undercurrent of iniquity at the Belle Yue 
and Pomona Gardens, through the factory sys- 
tem, was one of the most putrid streams run- 
ning through Christendom. The number of 



THE SCHOOL OF EXPERIENCE. 77 

illegitimate children was frightful. Upon one 
occasion there was a baby-show announced to 
be held at Pomona Gardens; children were car- 
ried in arms and weighed naked for prizes, 
liambleton and Usher went to testify against 
this pagan abomination, and, having had a large 
text-board printed, stood near the entrance gate. 
It was not long before the proprietor came out. 
He was a giant in size. He brought a horse- 
whip, and with the butt end laid on John's back 
with all his might; but God was at his back, 
and gave him power to stand without even look- 
ing around at him. Then, seeing he was un- 
heeded, he seized the pole, but, the text being 
printed on millboard, was not easily torn, so he 
carried it into a field, and, like a big dog, he 
twisted and turned it in a terrible rage. The 
bold Evangelist then taking out his Bible, the 
Lord gave him power to cry aloud and read how 
they gave their children to Moloch. Two young 
men were convinced of sin, and many trembled 
under the "Word. They have not had a baby 
show since. 

Henry was early in the field to aid in Theatre 
preaching, which had been started in London by 
Eeginald Eadclifie. Though • neither a gifted 
orator or pretended theologian, yet the Holy 
Spirit had given Kadcliffe a heart to feel pity for 



78 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

the poor neo^lected outcasts. He tool? Weaver 
to Scotland, where his cheerful songs of Zion at 
first startled the ears long accustomed to the 
psalmody of the kirk, and, after putting a few 
cog-wheels in lively motion, he brought the 
happy-spirited collier to London, and engaged 
the Surrey Theatre for a Sunday evening. From 
that time the blessed Lord gathered laborers 
around them. Weaver's extraordinary power 
of utterance attracted the people, and the fire of 
God's holy love burned into the hearts of many 
poor outcasts. William Carter, the convert- 
ed sweep, was raised up also, whose gift was 
calculated to win costermongers, thieves and 
wanderers in the South of London to hear the 
glad tidings of salvation, without money or price, 
through "Jesus only." Others, filled with first- 
love to Jesus, scoured the slums and rookeries 
of the East End; and thus, wheel upon wheel, 
crank, wharl, spindles, bands and braces were 
now all in revival motion. Lords and gentle- 
merv, rich and poor, learned and simple, male 
and female, were moved together in one common 
cause by the power of that blessed Spirit who 
bloweth where He listeth. 

N'o less than fourteen theatres were open on a 
Sunday night in London, each one filled with 
persons of all ranks and conditions, hearing the 



THE SCHOOL OF EXPERIENCE, 79 

message of love from the fervent lips of Weaver, 
Hambleton, Carter, Moorhouse, and others. 

A somewhat ludicrous incident occurred one 
evening when Henrj w^as preaching in a London 
theatre. The house was filled. The working- 
men and their families, with many of the coster- 
monsters and street vendors, formed his cono^re- 

O ^ CD 

gation. Having held their close attention for 
about half an hour, and during the recital of a 
very affecting anecdote which brought tears to 
the eyes of many, suddenly Henry observed a 
broad grin on the faces of old and young. I^ot 
divining the cause, as they were still looking 
towards him. he became very much embarrassed, 
thinking he must have blundered in his remarks. 
But imao^ine his chao^rin when the whole audi- 
ence broke out into hearty laughter whilst young- 
sters whistled and screamed aloud. Sudden- 
ly it occurred to the astounded preacher to look 
behind him, when he immediately discovered the 
cause of this extraordinary outbreak of excite- 
ment. There on the stage was a veritable cat, 
black as a coal, looking with indignant surprise 
upon the audience. With eyes flashing, and 
arched back, the tail straight and stiff as a ram- 
rod, the creature itself seemed dazed for a mo- 
ment, and then walked off through a side door 
and disappeared. Those who knew Henry's 



80 BECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

sensitiveness and impatience when disturbed 
during a meeting, can readily understand how 
completely unnerved he was on that occasion. 
In fact, he presently dismissed his audience, fear- 
ing he could not again rail}'- them. When refer- 
ring to this incident in after years, he would add, 
with a sudden £ush of indignation, in his most 
natural tones of true Lancashire dialect, " I sup- 
pose it was the devil." 



CIIAPTEE YII. 

HENRY IN IRELAND. . , 

"Beloved, I Love Thee "—The Suit of Clothes— Low Life 
in Dublin — "Sing a 'im Mon" — Marvellous Grace — ■ 
Letters. 

In April, 1864, Edward Usher, Joshua Poole 
and Henry Moorhouse made their first appear- 
ance in Dublin. After a hard day's work at an 
execution in England the day before, preaching 
for several hours, and a rough night on the 
channel, the trio looked rather weather-beaten 
on landing. They readied the " Dublin Tract 
Depository " of Mr. Henry Bewley in the morn- 
ing just as the writer stepped into the office. 
Usher having been in Dublin the previous year 
in company with John Hambleton introduced 
his comrades, who had arrived unheralded and 
unknown. Poole, with his serio-comic face, 
and Henry's youthful appearance and restless 
eyes, became a study. Evangelists ! thought we, 
who were wedded to our ideas of propriety. 
Evangelists ! such scarecrows ! Preachers ! The 
6 (81) 



82 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

funnj man with tlie laughing face looks like a 
jockey, and that hungry looking boy is the 
groom ! Can persons help such thoughts which 
flash on the mind or drive throuo:h the brain 
with electric speed ? We had been introduced 
in due form as a brother evangelist and tried to 
be informal. If we had any starch, it was soon 
taken out of us, for the lad, placing his hand on 
our shoulder, said with a face beaming out with 
benevolence : '' Beloved, I'm glad to see thee. I 
love thee," and we tried to respond, as the lump 
arose in our throat, that we were glad too, and 
loved him also. In fact at the time the 
writer was lonely and down-hearted, and it 
did sound good in the strange city to hear 
some one say " I love thee." And real christian 
aftection filled our heart, and flowed out towards 
our English brother. Is there not a lesson and 
an illustration here ? We had" no love for Jesus 
till we heard him say, " Greater love hath no 
man than this, that a man lay down his life for 
his friends." And in addition we read, " Scarce- 
ly for a righteous man will one die, yet, perad- 
venture, for a good man some would even dare 
to die ; but God commendeth His love toward 
us in that while we were yet enemies, Christ 
died for us." Then it was our flinty hearts began 
to melt and we loved Him who first loved us. 



HENRY IN IRELAND. 83 

Dear Henry Moorhouse was sick and weary 
from overwork. In those days he looked wan 
and feeble. His constitution was far from ro- 
bust, yet his powers of endurance were very great. 
He was also poorly clad, but he was humble and 
contented. He had been praying for a suit of 
clothes, and that very day his prayers were an- 
swered. A beloved friend, who never lost sight 
of Henry ever after, happened to come into the 
Tract Depot. In a few moments after an intro- 
duction to the English evangelists, with the 
spiritual discernment of a devoted child of God, 
ever ready to help the needy disciples of his Lord, 
at a glance he observed Henry's condition. In- 
stantly beckoning him to the door, he called a cab, 
drove to a popular clothier's, and Henry returned 
with him a different man. A stock of linen, under- 
wear, hat and boots were added to the full suit of 
clothes, which made the recipient of the thought- 
ful gift laugh and cry by turns. This was not 
the only time that Henry had reason to 
praise God for providing him with food and rai- 
ment. But he is now with the glorious Lord, 
forever shielded from poverty, pain and sin. 'No 
more does he need to pray "Give us this day 
our daily bread," for he " shall hunger no more, 
neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun 
light on him, nor any heat. For the Lamb which 



84 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

is in the midst of the throne shall feed him, and 
shall lead him unto living fountains of waters, 
and God shall wipe away all tears from his eyes." 
Soon after their arrival, these brethren went to 
work for the Master. The scene of their labors 
had been in one of the worst parts of Dublin, 
known as the Liberties, and where very little ef- 
fort had been put forth to meet the thousands of 
poor who live tliere. It was laid upon the hearts 
of a few Christians to make a special effort for 
this neighborhood, and an application was made 
to the trustees of the Old Congregational Meet- 
ing-house, where, after much prayer, the Lord, 
opened the way, and a gospel mission to the work- 
ing classes was commenced, which resulted in the 
salvation of many precious souls. Week-night 
services, Sunday and evening schools, and a reg- 
ular Sunday afternoon service, were afterwards es- 
tablished, where many were gathered of the very 
classes who are seldom found at our usual places 
of worship. At the first service held by our 
brothers' from England about fifty attended, but 
after it was well advertised that there would be 
services every evening that week. This had the 
efiect of bringing a great many more. The ad- 
dresses were simple, but to the point, and God 
gave the truth a lodgment in some of the most 
unlikely hearts. At some of the meetings there 



HENRY IN IRELAND. 85 

could not have been less tlian 1,300 persons and 
one vervliappj evening was spent while thej were 
here. Tickets were distributed to 600 men and 
women for tea, on the gospel plan, '^ to the poor." 
It was a line opportunity for talking about Jesus, 
on account of many of them being Koman Ca- 
tholics, and the Spirit was present in power. 
Seldom was greater blessing given; never at this 
place. Many homes were changed througli the 
inmates becoming new creatures in Christ Jesus. 
The following hymn was written by a Chris- 
tian lady who felt much interested in our broth- 
ers, whose visit many- will have reason to re- 
member throughout eternity The three brethren 
sang well, and to a simple air they sung it at 
several of the meetings. v 

"Onward, onward, brotliers, onward, 

There's a glorious prize in view ; 
Tliougb. the way be rough and thorny, 

God will ever guide you through. 
Take the sword of His own Spirit, 

And with helmet on your head. 
Be ye strong in Jesus' merit. 

Think — for you the Saviour bled. 
** Onward, onward, brothers, onward, 

Do not linger by the way ; 
Say to dying sinners round you, 

Jesus calls to you to-day. 
Tell them what He is to you. 

How He loved — ^long, long ago ! 



86 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENBY MOOBHOUSE. 

Tell them how He rescued you 

From the depths of endless woe. 
** Onward, onward, brothers, onward, 

Soon your warfare will be o'er. 
Soon you'll cast your armor from you, 

Landed on fair Canaan's shore. 
There, amid the ransomed throng-, 

You shall swell the note of praise, 
And with loudest, sweetest song", 

Sing of Jesus' matchless grace." 

At this time Mr. Denham Smith was preach- 
ing the Gospel in the new Merrion Hall recent- 
ly built on the plan of Mr. Spurgeon's Taber- 
nacle. His inimitable style; his prominence as 
a leader in the great revival; his personal associa- 
tions, and his clear presentation of salvation drew 
around him a splendid congregation of the npper 
and middle classes. It w^as thought proper to 
invite the Lancashire lad to give an address 
on a Sunday evening. Henry's simplicity, 
directness, pathos and youth made him already 
a favorite in Dublin, and his gifts were recog- 
nized as being superior to those of his faithful 
co-workers. Accordingly, when the time arrived, 
after the symmetrical and polished address of 
the famous Evangelist, Mr. Smith, he introduced 
Henry Moorhouse to the congregation, who trem- 
blingly began his remarks somewhat as follows: 



HENRY IN IRELAND. 8T 

" Beloved friends : This is the first time I 
ever spoke to an audience of ricli and learned 
people. I don't know how to speak to you, 
though I am sure we are all one in the sight of 
our God and Father. "When I was at home the 
other day a rich lord went with me to my meet- 
ing, and we knelt together in prayer. I said 
*Our Father,' and he said 'Our Father,' and 
the lord and me were brothers. Soon after I 
visited a poor beggar dressed in rags, and he 
prayed and I prayed, and he said ' Our Father,' 
and I said ' Our Father,' and the beggar and 
me were brothers." At this point Henry noticed 
some ladies sweeping down the aisle towards the 
door which increased his trepidation. His 
thoughts vanished, his sentences became discon- 
nected, his words w^ere no longer under controL 
"Joss" was in the audience seated with the 
grandees in the middle of the house, .and seeing 
his friend's embarrassment, regardless of all 
impropriety, and perfectl}^ oblivious of his sur- 
roundino^s, he startled the cono:ret]:ation bv the 
ringing shout, " 'Enry sing a 'im, mon, sing a 
'im." 

But how marvellous tlie Lord's grace. He 
first humbles his servants, and then lifts them 
up that no fiesh should glory in His presence. 
For many ^^ears, until our sleeping friend could 



88 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

visit Dublin no more, there was no pulpit or 
platform to which he was more welcome. And 
for many weeks, during successive visits he 
preached nightly to listening crowds in that 
same building. The Holy Spirit greatly used 
the feeble instrument to the conversion of many, 
rich and poor, in that city. 

During his stay in Dublin, many invitations 
w^ere sent him from other parts of Ireland, 
some of which he accepted. Usher and Poole 
returned to England, v/liilst Moorhouse, in com- 
pany with the writer, started for the Provin- 
cial towns, and country places of the IS^orth of 
Ireland. After preaching there for a few weeks, 
he passed through the midland counties, tarry- 
ing a few days at important points, until he 
reached the city of Cork. 

In this city he remained for a month, address- 
ing meetings daily. The following extract of 
a private letter is dated Cork, April 27, 1865: 

" A new meeting-room has been taken, capa- 
ble of holding 200, and dear Harry Moorhouse 
laboured there for a month with success. Yery 
many of the poor came to hear, and professed 
to be made happy in 'Jesus only.' H. Moor- 
house wrote for me from County Meath, to 
come and take up the meetings there, which the 
Lord led me to do. Arriving on March 21, 1 



HENRY IN IRELAND. 89 

found a very full meeting waiting for me, and 
very many liappy faces, 'new-born babes.' 
Since then, I have preached three times each 
week, besides addressing extra meetings. Our 
blessed God, in power and grace, touched many 
hearts, and the simple preaching of Christ 
proves very successful; and I am satisfied, in 
the day of reaping, much will be revealed. 
There is an under-current of opposition from 
those wedded to forms and ceremonies. I^ever- 
theless our numbers seem to increase each night, 
and nearly all remain for the after-meetings, 
which are very interesting and full of life; so 
that, thank God, we have a regular revival 
amongst the lower classes. Some Catholics at- 
tend our meetings. One found peace lately — a 
very bright case, in which all was given up for 
Jesus. H. Moorhouse was well received in 
Bandon. I was there last Wednesday; a good 
meeting, and the Divine blessing rested upon 
us." *' Geo. C. Keedham." 

It was whilst there a prominent Evangelist 
visited the city, and, in the fullness of his heart, 
addressed the people as "You dear Cork souls!" 
It is scarcely necessary to add that an audible 
smile was quickly evoked. 

Another writes of the work at this time : 



90 BECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOOBHOUSE. 

"Cork, Ap. 1865. 
" The Lord is graciously beginning to answer 
prayer for this dark and dead city, and we would 
ask all those who love his name to unite in 
praising Him for the good things He hath already 
done, and in entreating Him for further bless- 
ing. About six weeks ago, a room was taken in 
an obscure part of the town for the purpose of 
holding meetings for the poor. It was first 
opened for a free tea-meeting, at which about 
200 persons attended, to whom our brother 
Henry Moorhouse preached the gospel. He 
continued laboring amongst us with real bless- 
ing till within the last week, when the Lord 
required him elsewhere. Many poor sinners, 
old and young, have found peace in Jesus, and 
homes have been made happy. One man, a 
stoker in- a steamer, who had led a very un- 
godly life, is rejoicing in his newly-found treas- 
ure, and his house is now an abode of prayer 
and praise, his wife having also found Jesus at 
the same time. He reads the scriptures for his 
neighbors, and tries to say a word for his Master 
whenever he can. Another man, who was for 
years an inveterate. drunkard often attempting 
his life, was induced to attend the meetings. 
After a time, the Holy Spirit showed him his 
lost st'ate, and he has now accepted the offered 



HENRY IN IRELAND. 91 

salvation. A few nights ago lie awoke his wife, 
saying he could keep the good news to himself 
no longer, for that he was ' going to be a new 
man.' ' In fact,' said he, ' I am a new man.' Praise 
the Lord for his goodness ! I could mention 
several interesting cases, but refrain. Meetings 
are held three times a week, and the room is 
well filled. Geo. C. ISTeedham is now laboring 
amongst us with acceptance." 

John Hambleton accompanied Henry for a 
time in Ireland. In the theatre at Cork they 
were mobbed, and had to flee for their lives 
through a private door. The Koman Catholics 
supposed they were Gavazzi's agents, as he had 
preceded them by a week in that city, and his 
terrible denunciations of popery maddened both 
priests and people. These brethren returned 
again to Dublin, from which city Henry wrote: 

" The Lord is blessing His own word, and the 
power of the Holy Ghost had been felt by many 
during our tour through the North of Ireland. 
The spirit of liearing is very great. Go where 
we will, the people flock to hear the word, and 
listen often for two or three hours together to 
the preached gospel. Dear John Hambleton and 
myself have been in many towns proclaiming 
the word, and many tokens the Lord has given 
us of His presence. Oh, praise His name, the 



92 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORIIOUSE. 

gospel has not lost its power, nor the blood of 
Jesus its virtue. God still loves, and Jesus, in 
the word, still pleads; the Spirit still convinces, 
and sinners are saved. All glory be unto Him 
who died to save the vilest of the vile. AYe hope 
(d. y.) to stay in Dublin for a week or two, pro- 
claiming the Gospel of God's love to this sin- 
blighted world, and then to go northward again. 
"Will you pray that the Lord will use and bless 
us in the preaching of the word? I could say 
much about the blessed work going on in Dublin 
at Merrion Hall. The Lord is blessing, and I 
have met very many who have been brought to 
a knowledge of the truth in that place." 



CHAPTEE YIII. 

WERE THEY FANATICS? 

Heniy at Chester Kaces — The diJhtanfe Clergyman — A 
Wise Leader — "Reeds" and "Rams' Horns" — Saved 
and Kept. 

Soon after his return home from Ireland, after 
a brief rest, Henrj visited Chester races. On 
the Cup-day it is estimated that 100,000 per- 
sons were present to witness the great struggle 
between the popular horses. A gentleman and 
family visited the race, and after arriving at 
the grand stand, the footman was at liberty to go 
and enjoy himself, but there was no relish to 
him in seeing one horse put his nose before an- 
other, so he left the course. As he was passing, 
his eye caught the large text and immediately 
exclaimed, " Oh, let me have some tracts," and 
he then began to circulate tracts and preach the 
gospel to the people. He being in livery, with 
bright buttons, attracted the race-goers, wlio 
remarked, "Oh, it's come to something how; 
the footman has turned preacher." This young 
(93) 



94 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE, 

man was one of the converts at Manchester, and 
though lie had to accompany his master to the 
races, yet the Lord enabled him to close his eyes 
from beliolding vanity. He was in the world, 
but not of it. 

Thus " in season and out of season " was Henry 
found abundant in labors. Though " a babe" 
and " a suckling," in comparison with others, he 
went about everywhere, like his Master, doing 
good. ■ Scribes and Pharisees, and the Rulers of 
the people may jeer at such ilesh-denying, self- 
sacriticing work, and ease-loving Christians 
may fall back upon the old worn-out cry of 
" fanaticism," as an opiate for their own awak- 
ened consciences, but we are persuaded of this, 
that in the day of rewards Henry Moorhouse's 
crown will shine brighter than theirs, with the 
lustre of whole-hearted service. To him, and 
to such as he who bore reproach and shame for 
Christ's sake, and by all means sought to pull 
souls out of the fire, will the righteous J udge 
say, '^Well done, good and faithful servant, 
enter thotj into the joy of thy Lord." 

On one occasion, a dilletante minister, skip- 
ping along with a lady on his arm, saw Henry 
struggling with his board, and in reading the 
text, remarked, with a pretended look of holy 
horror, loud enough to be heard, " deluded in- 



WERE THEY FANATICS? 95 

fatuatioii!" But he mistook his man. Scarcely 
had the words of contempt reached the ears of 
the evangelists than John Harableton took a 
step or two after him, and with a voice of awful 
solemnity, shouted in his ear, "Yog must be 
born again." The little exquisite hopped 
hurriedly ahead, and made the rest of his re- 
marks in a minor key. Had the earnest Evan- 
gelist no right to permit such criticism to go by 
un rebuked? Yet the warning words were given 
with an earnest solicitude for the man's salvation. 
The ecclesiastic would have been allowed to skip 
along to his darling pleasures unnoticed, had he 
permitted those unofficial and unpaid men to pur- 
sue their work without insult from him. They 
had opposition and trial enough from the godless 
crowds; surely a clergyman need not have 
lifted his hand against them. 

That these brethren were not "fanatics," but, 
on the contrary, sober-minded, loyal and scrip- 
tural preachers, I quote from a letter written by 
Ilambleton when he was yet a young disciple in 
the school of Christ. The tendency of the times, 
by a certain class of Evangelists, was toward sen- 
sationalism. It was no common sight to find 
cities and towns placarded that " The Converted 
Sweep," " The Eeformed Thief," " The Kegene- 
rated Clown," " The Glory Band," "TheNewry 



96 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENR Y MOORHOUSE. 

Blacksmith," or "The Hallelujah Pugilist," 
would conduct religious meetings, etc., etc. 
That the grace of God was magnified in the 
salvation of such characters was unquestionably 
true, but that it was essential thus to parade the 
character of their former lives was a question- 
able proceeding. Hence John's faithful letter. 

" Dear Brethren : — Lest Satan should get an 
advantage of you, or that your good should give 
occasion to others to speak evil of you, per- 
mit me to give a little advice as a friend and 
brother in the Lord. 

" A copy of a placard has been put into my 
hands announcing meetings by a band of breth- 
ren calling themselves the " Glory Band," 
with several names and old professional habits as 
dog-fighters, prize-fighters, navvies, etc., etc. 

"Knowing some of you, my dear brethren, that 
your love to Jesus is great, but that your knowl- 
edge is yet very weak, permit me to caution 
you against the enemy of your souls, for the 
depths of Satan are as yet unknown to you. It 
is good always to be zealous in the work of the 
Lord, but judgment and prudence are necessary 
in all things we do as children of God. It is 
very cheering to the hearty of the Lord's people 
to hear of the great blessing accomplished, by 
the preaching of Christ crucified, in turning 



WERE THEY FANATICS? 97 

drunkards, dog-fighters, prize-fighters, gamblers, 
etc., from darkness to light, and from the power 
of Satan unto God ; but, now that you are 
saved, beware lest Satan should exalt your flesh, 
that, instead of growing in grace and in the 
knowledge of the Lord Jesus, he should so puff 
you up as to cause you to glory in your shame, 
that is, because you were drunkards, dog-fighters, 
race-goers, gamblers, etc. 

" Now, dear brethren, my heart's desire for 
your own sakes, and the honor and glory of 
God, is that you forget those things which are 
behind, and press forward to those glorious 
things in Jesus which are before. 

" To do this, you must come together quietly 
for prayer and meditation on the "Word of God 
before going out amongst the multitude. Let 
the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all 
wisdom and spiritual understanding. This will 
give ballast to your walk and work, in and for 
the Lord ; otiierwise you will be like a ship in a 
gale, without weight in her hold to keep her 
steady. Study the two Epistles of Paul to 
Timothy well, and each of the other epistles 
in turn. Get them thoroughly digested in 
your souls, waiting on the Lord continually, 
and never permitting the old-Adam flesh to 
go before God's Holy Spirit, either in excitement 
7 



98 BECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

on the one hand or dead formality on the other. 
The narrow path lies between these two, and he 
who walks therein hearkens to the voice of ' Je- 
sus only' in the word of Scripture, 'This is the, 
way walk ye in it ;' and while you are fervent in 
spirit, serving the Lord, beware of Satan's temp- 
tations, causing you to serve yourself; for Jesus 
says, ' If any man come after Me, let him deny 
HIMSELF, take up his cross daily, and follow 
Me.' 

" May He, by his blessed Spirit, dear brethren, 
cause you so to walk and grow in grace, that 
you may, by your good conversation, put to 
silence the ignorance of foolish men, and forget 
the things of former days, yea, even in the 
mention of them, for we were all guilty of every 
lust, and evil things in our wicked hearts, of 
which now the very thought and mention ought 
to make us blush with shame. 

" Brethren, there are heavenly glories await- 
ing us. Let us contemplate these things, and 
grow daily more like our heavenly Lord Jesus, 
meek and lowly in heart." ( Read Col. iii.) 
" Yours in Jesus only," 

"John Hambleton." 

Is there not a blending in this epistle of 
sound theology, heavenly wisdom, courage to 
rebuke, love for the brethren, and loyalty to the 



WERE THEY FANATICS? 



Master? To denoance indiscriminately every 
attempt on the part of zealous converts to brin ^ 
their former companions in sin to the Lord 
Jesus, would surely call upon ourselves the 
Master's sternest rebuke. Publicans and har- 
lots were received by Him, in the days of His 
flesh, and to a saved demoniac he said, " Re- 
turn to thine own house, and shew how 
great things God hath done to thee. And he 
went his way and published how great 



things Jesus had done unto him." That some 
men take advantage of their past wickedness, 
and overdraw the picture of their- previous lives 
is undeniable : that it is shocking taste and 
conserves no good end we freely allow. But to 
spurn as unworthy of the cause all honest effort 
in casting out devils because the workers fol- 
low not us, is to betray ignorance of the pur- 
poses and spirit of the Master whom we profess 
to serve. We should, ever remember that in 
heaven's chosen band, there are instruments of 
various sorts. John the Baptist was a " reed " 
blown upon by the Divine breath. The music 
of a reed is neither sweet nor mellow to cultured 
ears, but its notes are not necessarily discordant 
or profitless to others. There are " ram's horns " 
in this divine orchestra which wax loud and 
harsh to some, but if Jericho's walls must be 



100 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

blown down, ram's horns are not out of place. 
That one of the "brands" plucked out of the 
fire, a ringleader in wickedness, debased in mind 
and body, should soon after his conversion 
make the following entry in his private memo- 
randum book argues that all of his class were 
neither hypocrites nor fanatics: 

1. "I am not what I once was; but by the 
grace of God I am what I am, an empty sinner, 
depending on Christ, a full and present Saviour. 

2. "My creed is this: Ruin by the Fall; Re- 
demption by the Cross; and Regeneration by the 
Holy Spirit. 

3. " My knowledge of Scripture is small, for 
it is not long since I was plucked as a brand from 
the fire; but I am hungering to know more, and 
God, by His Holy Spirit will teach me the truths 
contained in His glorious Gospel. I feel myself 
nothing, and can do nothing; but I go forward 
looking "up to Him who has said, ' Open thy 
mouth wide, and I will fill it.' (Ps. Ixxxi. 10.) 

4. " I have seriously weighed the difficulties I 
must meet in the service of God; and in His 
strength I will bear the cross which every faith- 
ful follower of Jesus has borne. This has been 
a matter of earnest prayer, and I firmly believe 
that God is with me. I see nothing before me 
but to fight the Lord's battles; but, leaning on 



WERE THEY FANATICS? 101 

His arm, I shall hold up the Banner of the Cross, 
and hope to obtain a humble place in His ser- 
vice." 

I have heard it frequently remarked by per- 
sons who ought to have more intelligence and 
charity, that the ravings of such unauthorized 
ranters ought to be silenced, as more harm at- 
tended their ministrations than otherwise. Even 
those who had friendship for the " Kevivalists," 
as they were termed, feared a reaction would fol- 
low their preaching, making more ^^rversions 
than conversions. That some indeed went back, 
we have to record, even as there were disciples 
who withheld whole-hearted allegiance to our 
Lord during the years of His ministry. That 
the true converts did not go back is an indisput- 
able fact, as many of them, still living, are to this 
day evidence of God's power to save and to 
keep. The following remarks from Henry Moor- 
house when yet a young Chistian, are forcible 
and to the point: 

" I have often been asked, ' How do the con- 
verts stand? Don't they go back again into the 
world?' I say, ' "Well, I am one of them, and I 
have not gone back. God has kept me over 
three years, and He is able to keep me unto the 
end.' ^But are you not an exception?' I reply, 
'Ko, there are many who were brought to know 



102 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

tlieir sins laid npon Jesus some four years ago 
under the preaching of dear Richard Weaver, R. 
Radcliffe, John Hambleton and others, who are 
to this day walking worthy of the vocation where- 
with they were called — men who work for Jesus 
in their leisure hours, and the Lord is with 
them, and He owns their labors. By their 
means souls are saved, and homes are made hap- 
py. Let the doubters come to Manchester and 
see for themselves what God has done and is do- 
ing among some of the chief of sinners. All 
praise be unto Him forever! When God works 
He works effectually. 

"Let me give you one case. There lived close 
to my mother's house some years ago a wild 
young fellow of the nam e of Tom Castle. He was 
a pigeon-flyer, race-runner and prize-fighter. He 
was the terror of the neigliborhood Scarcely 
a week passed but Tom was fighting. On one 
occasion he was severely stabbed, but when he 
recovered he was as bad as ever. Richard Weav- 
er came to preach in the Free Trade Hall, and 
Tom was persuaded to go and hear him ; that 
night he was convinced of sin, and the next 
night he was savingly brought to Jesus. From 
that moment he was a changed young man. He 
went about preaching Jesus, and was the means 



WERE THEY FANATICS? 103 

in God's hand of bringing very many to a 
knowledge of the truth. 

" From the day of my conversion we were 
companions in the gospel, and a more devoted 
servant of Christ I never met. It did not mat- 
ter how far the distance, nor how cold the 
night, nor how late the hour; winter or sum- 
mer, rain or snow, if Tom heard of any who 
were sick, he would go and tell them about 
Jesus, and many have borne testimony at the 
eleventh hour that they knew their sins were for- 
given through hearing the truth from the lips 
of dear Tom Castle. He w^as also an earnest, 
powerful, and successful open-air preacher. The 
poor people used to say: 'We like Tom, be- 
cause we understand him.' God indeed spoke 
through him, and many times I have listened to 
him and felt the silent tear trickling down my 
cheek. When the Lord brought him to Him- 
self he could not tell his letters, but in a short 
time he learned to read his Bible. Many of the 
worst characters in his neighborhood were by 
him told of Jesus, and some were saved. 

'• The last time he preached he told the people 
he felt sure he should never see them again. He 
went to his work soon after that, and received 
an injury from a circular saw which caused his 
death within forty-eight hours. He was carried 



104 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

home to Lis wife and little child, and doctors 
were sent for, but all in vain; the Lord wanted 
him. lie suffered intense agony, but he never 
lost sight of Jesus. 

" His sister said to him a short time before he 
died: ' Tom, my lad, thou art going to die.' ' No, 
Ilannali,' he said with a smile, ' not going to 
die; going to live; for he that believeth in Jesus 
shall never die.' A few hours afterwards he 
said to his wife: ' The Lord giveth, and the Lord 
taketh away; blessed be the name of the Lord.' 
And with a smile upon his face, he fell asleep in 
the arms of Jesus. He was buried in the Ard- 
wick Cemetery, and was followed to the grave by 
hundreds of people, who wept bitterly as he was 
lowered into the grave. We have not to pray 
for him now, for we know he has gone to rest; 
and by and by when Jesus comes we shall see 
him, and hear him sing praises unto Him who 
washed him from his sins in his own precious 
blood." 

Tom Castle and his former comrade, Henry 
Moorhouse, are both now resting at Ardwick 
Cemetery. But their happy spirits are at home 
with the Lord, waiting with us who are left in 
the outer court, for the resurrection day of hope 
and blessedness, when Jesus comes. Thanks be 
to God we are saved and kept. 



CHAPTER IX. 

CROSSING THE ATLANTIC. 

Crossing the Atlantic — Moorliouse and Moody — Seven Ser- 
mons on one Text — Moody's Change — *' Other Cities also " 
— Preaching to Colored Folks— Henry at Princeton. 

For two years the writer and Henry were 
frequently together in Gospel labors. These 
were happy days. The spirit of God was abroad 
in the land; churches, school-houses, barns and 
other places of concourse, were filled with eager 
listeners. The "old, old stoey" was simjDly 
told and readily received. Tlie mutual study of 
the Bible was stimulating and joyful to our own 
Bouls. The Holy Spirit was invoked as our 
Teacher. The precious doctrines of the vicarious 
atonement, the sovereign tj^ of God, the great sal- 
vation, the complete justification of the believer, 
the oneness of the mystical body the church, and 
the precious hope of our Lord's personal and 
pre-millenial return, laid hold of our hearts and 
strengthened our hands for the work. After in- 
cessant labors, we hoped for rest in a sea- voyage 
(105) 



106 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

to this country. In 1867 we prepared to leave 
our native shores. The day was fixed, the vessel 
chosen, and all things were ready. Family sick- 
ness however interfered with our plans, and 
Henry started alone. ]N"ear]y five months later 
we were permitted to fulfill our design and also 
visit the great Republic. 

Henry arrived in September of the above year, 
and remained until April, 1868. Philadelphia 
was the first city which gave him a welcome. 
In the " City of Brotherly Love," he was re- 
ceived into the family and home of the beloved 
physician. Dr. "William A. Reed. Mrs, Reed 
was ever after his American "mother." Though 
"little and unknown," yet he was received 
into several of the churches, where he preached 
with encouraging results. The pastors with 
whom he labored gave him a hearty and broth- 
erly reception, and reluctantly bade him fare- 
well when he turned his steps in other direc- 
tions. Henry visited the United States five 
times in ten years, and always found warm hearts 
to welcome him in Philadelphia. 

Chicago was destined to be the scene of Hen- 
ry's grandest work in America. Was it not the 
purpose of the Lord that this unassuming and 
as yet inexperienced youth should come to Chi- 
cago to be instrumental in turning the strength 



CROSSING THE ATLANTIC. 107 

of, D. L. Moody's brain and heart to the study 
of God's word? That Mr. Moody only partially 
preached the gospel during the previous years 
of his missionary life he allows. Indeed, not 
only so, but he has, in all the places he visited 
of late years, repeated the well-known tale that, 
until the arrival of Henry Moorhouse, he was an 
untaught and unskilled disciple in the school of 
Christ. Hear his own words regarding this 
memorable visit of the young English Evangel- 
ist : 

" In 1867, when I was preaching in Dublin, 
in a large hall, at the close of the service a young 
man, who did not look over seventeen, though 
he was older, came up to me and said lie would 
like to go back to America with me, and preach 
the gospel. I thought he could not preach it, 
and I said I was undecided when I could go back. 
He asked me if I would write to him when I 
went, and he would come with me. When I 
went I thought I would not write to him, as I 
did not know whether I wanted him or not. Af- 
ter I arrived at Chicago I got a letter saying he 
liad just arrived in 'New York, and he would 
come and preach. I wrote him a cold letter, 
asking him to call on me if he came West. 
A few days after I got a letter, stating he would 
be in Chicago next Thursday. I didn't know 



108 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

what to do with him. I said to the officers of the 
church: 'There is a man coming from England, 
and he wants to preach. I am going to be ab- 
sent Thursday and Friday. If you will let him 
preach on those days I will be back on Saturday, 
and take him off your hands.' They did not care 
about his preaching, being a stranger; but at my 
request they let him preach. On my return, on 
Saturday, I was anxious to hear how the people 
liked him, and I asked my wife how that young 
Englishman got along. How did they like him ? 
She said they liked him very much. ' He preaches 
a little different from what you do. He tells the 
people God loves them. I think you will like 
him.' I said he was wrong. I thought I could 
not like a man who preached contrary to what I 
was preaching. I went down Saturday night to 
hear him, but I had made up my mind not to 
like him, because he preached different from 
me. 

" He took his text, and I saw everybody had 
brought their Bibles with them. ' !N"ow,' he says, 
' if you will turn to the third chapter of John 
and the sixteenth verse, you will find my text.' 
He preached a wonderful sermon from that text — 
' For God so loved the world that He gave His 
only begotten Son, that w^hosoever believeth in 
Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.' 



CBOSSING THE ATLANTIC. 109 

My wife had told me lie had preached the two 
previous sermons from that text, and I noticed 
there was a smile over the house when he took 
the same text. Instead of preaching that God 
was behind them with a double-edged sword, to 
hew them down, he told them God wanted every 
sinner to be saved, because He loved them. I 
could not keep back the tears. I didn't know 
God thouo^ht so much of me. It was wonderful 
to hear the way he brought out scripture. lie 
went from Genesis to Eevelation, and preached 
that in all ages God loved the sinner. On Sun- 
day night there was a large crowd came to hear 
him. He took for 'his text the third chapter of 
John and the sixteenth verse, and he preached 
his fourth sermon from that wonderful text: 
' For God so loved the world,' etc., and he w^ent 
from Genesis to Revelation to show that it was 
love, love, love, that brought Christ from heaven 
— that made Him step from the throne to lift up 
this poor fallen world. He struck a higher chord 
that night, and it was glorious. The next night 
there was an immense crowd, and he said : ' Turn 
to the third chapter of John and sixteenth verse.' 
and he preached his fifth sermon from that won- 
derful text. He did not divide the text up into 
firstly, secondly, thirdly — but he took the whole 
text and threw it at them. I thought that ser- 



110 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

mon was better than ever. I got so foil of love 
that I got Tip and told my friends how much God 
loved them. The whole chnrch was on fire be- 
fore the week was over. Tuesday night came, 
and there was a greater crowd than ever. The 
preacher said: ^ Tnrn to the third chapter of 
John and the sixteenth verse, and you will find 
my text;' and he preachedhis sixth sermon from 
that wonderful text: 'God so loved the world,' 
etc. They thought that sermon better than any 
of the rest. It seemed as if every heart was on 
fire, and sinners came pressing into the kiugdom 
of God. On Wednesday night people thought 
that probably he would change his text now, as 
he could not talk any longer on love. There was 
great excitement to see what he was going to say. 
He stood before us again, and he said: 'My 
friends, I have been trying to get a new text, but 
I cannot find any so good as the old one, so we 
will again turn to the third chapter of John and 
the sixteenth verse.' He preached the seventh 
sermon from that wonderful text. 

" I have never forgotten those nights. I have 
preached a difierent gospel since, and I have had 
more power with God and man since then. In 
closing up that seventh sermon, he said: 'For sev- 
en nights I have been trying to tell you how much 
God loved you, but this poor stammering tongue 



CROSSING THE ATLANTIC. Ill 

of mine will not let me. If I could ascend Ja- 
cob's ladder and ask Gabriel, who stands in the 
presence of the Almighty, to tell me how much 
love God the Father has for this poor lost world, 
all that Gabriel could sav would be, that "'God 
so loved the world that he gave his only begotten 
Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not 
perish, but have everlasting life.' " When he got 
through preaching there, we had to get the largest 
building in Chicago, and then thousands went 
away because they could not get in. He went to 
Europe, and returned again. In the meailtime 
our church had been burned, and we put up a 
temporary building. When he came there he 
preached in this house, and he said: * Although 
the old building is burned up, the old text is not 
burnt up, and we will preach from that.' So he 
preached from where he left off preaching — about 
the love of God." 

Peoria, Springfield, Pittsburgh, Albany and 
'Ne\Y York received a share of Henry's labors at 
this time. The Pittsburgh Press reported: 

"Mr. Harry Moorhouse, an eloquent and 
earnest young Evangelist, from Lancashire, Eng- 
land, preached last evening to a dense audience 
in the Old Theatre, on Fifth street, which was 
engaged for the purpose by the Young Men's 
Christian Association. Mr. Moorhouse has a 



112 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

very entertaining style, and speaks with re- 
markable clearness. Some of his appeals are 
really powerful, and his argument rarely fails to 
convince and convict the unbeliever. The au- 
dience was manifestly very deeply interested, and 
listened with marked attention throughout. A 
large number of persons were unable to obtain 
admission, as there was not even standing room 
left. The success which attended the meeting 
last night will, no doubt, encourage the Young 
Men's Christian Association to establish divine 
services in the Old Theatre at regular peri< ds. 
Yesterday morning, Mr. Moorhouse preached in 
the Union Baptist Church to a large audience. 
He will probably remain in Pittsburg a few days 
longer, as there is a demand for him in many of 
our city churches. Mr. Moorhouse addressed the 
Sabbath School of the Sixth Presbyterian 
Church, yesterday afternoon. This is one of the 
largest and most flourishing schools in Pitts- 
burg." 

The following extract from a letter wi'itten at 
the time indicates the success of his brief visit 
to Albany: 

"Beloved Brother in the Lord: — Doubtless 
you, and the friends whom we have left behind 
us in England and Ireland, will be glad to hear 
of what the Lord is doing in this place through 



CROSSING THE ATLANTIC. 113 

liis dear young servant Harry Moorlioiise. Af- 
ter traveling about 150 miles on Tuesday, lie 
immediately commenced gospel meetings. He 
preached from Tuesday till Saturday, sometimes 
twice a day; the house was comfortably filled 
after the first night. On Friday night it was 
crowded. On Sunday, Dr. Peck invited him to 
his church (one of the largest and finest Metho- 
dist churches in the city). Moorhouse preached 
at 10.30 A. M., and 7.30 p. m.; in the morning 
the house was filled; in the evening, before time 
came to commence, it was crowded to excess; 
several hundreds had to return, as they could 
not get near the door. Many were perfectly 
astonished at him. The Lord giveth grace to 
the humble, or he would be puffed up. The re- 
sults will not be fully known till all things shall 
be revealed." 

He preached also at "Wilmington, Del. The 
appended letter tells the story of his visit, dated 
Wilmington, Dec. 20, 1867: 

"Dear Brother in Christ; — Our blessed 
Lord is with his servant, Harry Moorhouse. He 
came to this place on the 11th inst., and preached 
in the evening in the Central Presbyterian 
Church. Much interest was manifested, more 
coming out than were expected. The cold and 



114 BECOLLECTJONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

storm of snow on the 12th prevented many from 
attending the meeting in the evening. 

"On the evening of the 13th, he preached in 
the Ashiirj Methodist meeting-honse, from the 
words: 'Who loved me and gave Himself for 
me.' 

" But the meetings on the Lord's-day following 
were more manifest with the power of the 
Spirit. Our dear brother was suffering from 
much weakness of body, but God strengthened 
him for three services. The greetings by one 
and another with ' God bless you,' were very 
gratifying. At this service tracts and little 
books were given out to every one, and were re- 
ceived eagerly. A service was held in the Zion 
Methodist (colored) meeting-house. The house 
was well filled with colored people, who showed 
their enthusiasm in their way, which strikes us 
well-ordered people very strangely. But bless 
God that the simple portrayal of God's love 
from the words of John iii, 16, met with such 
hearty reception and exthusiastic expression. 
Tracts and books were supplied them, which 
they took gratefully, though many of them were 
not able to read. The service of the evening 
was held in the Central Presbyterian Church. 
The reading of the Scripture ( Gal. iv.) was with 
much power. The large audience-room was 



CROSSING TEE ATLANTIC. 115 

well filled with the wealthy people of the place. 
The Lord granted the power of the Spirit, with 
the simple holding up of Christ crncified. 

*'0n Monday evening opportunity was obtained 
for preaching in the Bethel Methodist (colored) 
Church, where a protracted meeting was in ses- 
sion. The preaching was from Luke xv, 17. 
There was very little noise, shouting, etc., which 
is an evident sign of the presence of the Spirit 
holding the attention of the people to the simple 
word of the Lord. What He seeks is earnest at- 
tention to the simple story of tlie cross, not loud 
approbation. "We left the meeting in the hands 
of their leaders, after the preaching, and came 
away, leaving a quantity of tracts for distribu- 
tion when the service ended. 

" l^otice having been given that Harry Moor- 
house would lecture at the room of the Central 
Presbyterian Church, many came, and the lec- 
ture room was crowded. The opportunity was 
improved for bringing before the people the work 
of the evangelist, and the success which the gos- 
pel has presented to the abandoned, illustrated 
by instances of conversion in such work. A 
teacher, having heard Brother Moorhouse preach, 
sent word for him to come and lecture before his 
school on the subject, ' The School System of 
England.' Harry sent back reply that he would 



116 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

preach Christ before his school if he wished. On 
hearing that Harry had never been to college, the 
teacher kindly oiFered to fit him for the best col- 
lege in America, but our brother is going on to 
preach the gospel. 

"On Wednesday evening he preached again at 
the Zion Church. This time the colored people 
listened quietly. Christ was set forth as ' the 
friend of publicans and sinners.' They could 
not bear to lose a word by ejaculation; and last 
evening it was the same at the Union Methodist 
(colored) house. The word preached from, ' Tlie 
rest that remaineth,' was with power and much 
comfort to the poor destitute pilgrims of our 
Lord. M,any a colored man has said : ' Oh that 
you would stay with us.' I must say these 
people have got a strong hold on dear Harry's 
heart. He purposes to go on south through 
Maryland, to preach to the colored people the 
good tidings of great joy. Need it be urged 
upon you that he needs your prayers and faith 
in this work, that the Lord may give him a 
simple and full utterance of the gospel to the 
poor? There have been 2,000 tracts distributed 
at the different meetings. He wishes to have 
you know that he has the co-operation of all the 
pastors of the different denominations in this 
place." 



CROSSING THE ATLANTIC. 117 

At one time Henry was induced to visit 
Princeton. ^Naturally conscious of his lack of 
culture, he avoided coming in contact with hook- 
men. Where there was true devotedness to the 
Lord, and subjection to His Word, no matter 
how brilliant the company, he was at home 
amongst them. But he shunned pedantics, and 
he feared scholars. Henry had many times 
proven that the grace of God dwelt also 
in men of letters, and notwithstanding all the 
temptations of college life the Lord's chosen 
were to be met with even there; yet the title of 
'Professor,' would excite his caution, and the 
announcement of 'graduate' or 'student,' be 
received with marked silence. Notwithstanding, 
we find him at Princeton, almost decoyed there 
by personal friends who were very anxious that 
some of the students should hear him preach. 

After the first meeting his fears subsided. 
Many of the young men crowded around him 
and asked for a private interview next day. 
Every morning at 8.30 he gave Bible lectures 
to about one hundred and fifty of the " boys," 
and several of the Professors entered heartily 
into the work. At one o'clock each day he 
met, at an average, forty theological students 
who sought instruction from him on the subject 
of Bible study, and pulpit preparation. They 



118 BECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

generally came in small bands. His advice was 
in substance what he gave Mr. Moody: " If you 
will stop preaching your own words, and preach 
God's "Word, He will make you a power for 
good." With the young men he became a great 
favorite. The reserve was cast aside. He 
showed them his own method of comparing 
scripture with scripture; of making one text 
explain another; as for instance, going to Levit- 
icus for the key to unlock the Epistle to the 
Hebrews. 

That his work at Princeton was not lost, re- 
sults bear witness. The men in authority may 
have never heard of him. He went unheralded 
and came away as quietly. But God had work 
for him there. We have met young men now 
in the pastorate, who assured us that Henry 
Moorhouse's visit opened their eyes to the sim- 
plicity and fulness of the Gospel; and the Bible, 
but partly interesting to them previously, be- 
came afterwards a Fountain of life, and a Well- 
spring of unbounded pleasure. !N^or does this 
detract from the fame and greatness of Ameri- 
ca's proud seat of learning. It only exalts the 
grace of Him who calls the " weak " things of 
the world to do great things in His Name, 
" that no flesh should glory in His presence." 

Would that every disciple of Jesus Christ 



CROSSING THE ATLANTIC. 119 

might learn the lesson well, that educated flesh 
is as powerless to effect spiritual good as the less 
desirable, and frequently more conceited, igno- 
rant flesh that is in us. Surely we have found 
it true that it is " Not by might, nor by power, 
but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts." 



CHAPTEE X. 

m LOVE WITH AMERICA. 

Otlier Visits — CMcago — ^Westward, lio ! — Third Visit — ^Pen- 
picture of Henry — ■"' Eccentricities " — Amusing- Anecdotes 
— Recreation — Messrs. Get- All- You- Can, and Keep-AU- 
You-Get — ^Making Friends Happy. 

Our Evangelist was never tired of praising his 
American friends. On his return to England he 
excited the jealousy of not a few by his compari- 
sons between both countries. But his aim was 
ever to provoke unto love and good works. Henry 
foresaw that if Yankee energy was wedded to 
British perseverance, English preachers would 
be more aggressive. Effervescence was less 
obnoxious to him than stagnation. The romp, 
and life, and apparent disorder of the school play- 
ground was more attractive than the propriety 
and silence of the grave-yard. Gough pictures 
the cautiousness and fear of an Englishman to 
adopt a new policy, but when adopted, held, in 
contrast to the excitable American who will 
not hesitate to adopt anything which may pro- 
(120) 



IN LOVE WITH AMERICA. 121 

duce present effect, and drop it as quickly. But 
all natural and national characteristics may be 
effectively utilized when the heart is right with 
God, and the Spirit dwells within. "When we 
eat and drink, labor and rest for the glory of 
God, our characteristic tendencies will be kept 
under control. "When the word of Christ dwells 
in us richly we shall endeavor to follow its pre- 
cepts and be ruled by its laws. And if we can 
spur one another to diligence and labor for our 
Immanuel, comparisons and contrasts between 
workers of different countries may be timely and 
helpful. 

Henry was not idle on his return home. His 
old friends found him by their side at the fairs, 
races and wakes. Churches, halls, theatres, and 
every available building, were again thronged to 
hear the " lad " from Lancashire. 

In September, 1869, accompanied by Mr. 
Herbert Taylor, another youthful preacher from 
the higher ranks of life, Henry landed in 'New 
York City. Mr. Taylor was the son of a promi- 
nent official in the English court, who for many 
years has been Gentleman Usher to Queen Vic- 
toria. When quite a lad the son, Herbert, be- 
came a pronounced Christian in answer to the 
prayers of his pious and godly parents. Early 



122 BECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

ill life he made a liabitnal study of his Bible, 
and exhorted in evangelistic meetings in the 
neighborhood of his home. In many respects 
the two young men were opposite as the poles. 
In others they were thoroughly and vitally 
united. The one short in stature, delicate, 
homely in figure and speech, rude in knowledge, 
and thoroughly unsophisticated, inexperienced 
in the higher walks of life, and untaught in the 
code of polite society. The other possessing 
every physical advantage, ruddy in appearance, 
cultured, graceful, at ease in every circle, the 
blood of noble parentage flowing through his 
veins. Yet were these two as David and Jona- 
than, both redeemed with the same blood, in- 
dwelt by the one Spirit, lovers and preachers of 
the same gospel, sojourners to the same home. 
Both were gentlemen in the truest sense, both 
were free from vulgarity, coarseness, and irrever- 
ence. Both were holy men, seeking to glorify 
Jesus in their life and conduct, divinely com- 
missioned to preach the glad tidings to every 
creature; the one making use of his private 
means with liberal hand to further the glorious 
object in view, namely, the salvation of precious 
souls; the other, with undisturbed faith resting 
on the divine promise, accepting food and rai- 



IN LOVE WITH AMERICA, 123 

ment throiigli whatever cliannel, with a glad and 
grateful heart, from his Heavenly Father. 

From ISTew York the Evangelists went to Phila- 
delphia and Wilmington, thence to Chicago. 
All classes in this great city welcomed them 
gladly, and the churches and mission-chapels of 
the different Protestant denominations were 
freely opened to them. Mr. Moody was espe- 
cially kind in arranging for their comfort, and in 
laboring for the enlargement and success of their 
work. 

Henry Moorhouse was well remembered 
from his visit two years previously, and cordial 
invitations were extended to" him to settle in 
Chicago, accompanied by liberal offers of pecu- 
niary emolument. He was, however, constrained 
to decline, deciding that " he must be the Lord's 
freeman." Herbert Taylor, by invitation of an 
evangelical Episcopal clergyman, preached sev- 
eral times in their chapels with evident success. 
From this place they made detours to neigh- 
boring cities. 

Mr. Moody accompanied them to Columbus, 
Ohio, where they labored for a short season. 
They visited Indianapolis, and became the wel- 
comed guests of the Friends at Pichmond and 
Cincinnati. In this latter city they were the 
means of bringing discordant elements into 



124 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

harmony by their iin sectarian spirit, and pre- 
cious presentation of gospel truth. 

The young Englishmen were determined to 
speak of Jesus on the Pacific line of railway to 
the Golden Gate. Hence, we find them during 
February, 1870, in Davenport, Iowa. Mr. 
Moody made arrangements for them in Omaha, 
from whence they proceeded to Salt Lake, where 
they bearded the Mormon lion in his own den. 
They were invited by the Mormon Bishops to 
occupy their house of service both morning and 
evening on the Lord's day, which they accepted, 
without compromise or fear. 

Passing on to San Francisco, California, 
Henry was attacked with a bleeding at the 
lungs, which threatened to be serious, lasting at 
intervals several days. The physician ordered 
him to San Jose, an inland town, favorably sit- 
uated for pulmonary complaints. Here, greatly 
to the relief of his friends, he recruited rapidly, 
and had a large service in the gospel among the 
inhabitants. A lady, residing in San Jose, said 
that his coming among them was providential, 
and that wonderful results everywhere followed 
his ministry, over fifty having been awakened 
in a week's services, many of whom found peace 
in believing. 

Thus the Lord overrules all for good, and 



IN LOVE WITH AMERICA. 125 

makes even the weakness and infirmities of bis 
faithful servants to praise Him. 

On their return journey thej tarried awhile 
at Chica^^o, from which city Henry wrote: 

" We are back here, and have much to praise 
the Lord for. I am not well; but am enabled to 
preach constantly, with much blessing from the 
Lord. In one house in San Jose, California, 
where they received me, seven were converted. 
In Davenport, Iowa, I found on my return many 
had received blessing, and amongst them was one 
of the most prominent men in the State, a Gen- 
eral. In one church over fifty professed to have 
been converted to God. I write this to show we 
made no mistake in coming out to this coun- 
try." 

The Winter of 1872 and '73 finds Henry once 
more in Xhe United States. If he was made a 
blessing to JMoody, so was Moody to him. The 
rugged Evangelist of the West had been grow- 
ing in the knowledge of God 's Word, and be- 
coming a mighty man of valor. Moorhouse 
greatly loved him, and Moody's strong common 
sense and ever-widening influence were used in 
directing Henry to the most advantageous fields. 
B. F. Jacobs had also a heart and a home for 
Henry, and the pilgrim preaclier naturally has- 
tened to the city by the lake. From Cliicago 



126 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY 3I00RH0USE. 

we had a line from liim, dated February, 1873: 
" I have spent a very happy time in Chicago, 
and return (d. v.) next Friday, to remain there 
until the end of February, when I go right on to 
Brooklyn for two or three weeks. Instead of 
reaching a dozen cities out here, I have confined 
my labors to two; but I hope to return next fall 
to remain for three years, if the Lord tarry. I 
have scores of invitations — as many already as I 
could accept were I to remain for twenty years. 
In fact, never did I see such hungering and thirst- 
ing after the simple truth of the Scriptures as in 
this Western country." 

He did not, however, return until 1875, as 
Moody and Sankey were driving their plough 
through British soil in the interim, and in many 
of the cities Moorhouse labored by their side. 
When he arrived in America on his fourth trip, 
he preached in Rochester, ^N". Y. Here the whole 
city was moved to hear him. The I^ew York 
Evangelist, a journal known as being sound and 
conservative, furnishes the following pen-picture 
of the man and his work : 

'' We have recently had the pleasure of hear- 
ing, in Rochester, the English evangelist and 
Bible reader, Henry Moorhouse. He spent two 
weeks in that city, holding daily and nightly ser- 
vice, and in spite of the intense cold of that 



IN LOVE WITH AMERICA. 127 

month — the thermometer often standing from ten 
to fifteen degrees below zero — the people thronged 
to hear him. Those services had so won all 
hearts to him, the warmest of welcomes awaited 
his second visit. And we count it the richest 
spiritual blessing of our lives to have heard him. 

"Youthful almost to boyishness in figure and 
appearance, you wonder at first where lies the 
spell that draws people so irresistibly. But one 
look into those clear gray eyes reveals such ear- 
nestness, sincerity, and perfect transparency of 
soul, you trust him without an instant's ques- 
tioning. His whole face wears the calm, un- 
troubled look of a soul at perfect rest in God. 
His voice is clear and winning, his delivery rap- 
id, especially in his readings, as if the time were 
all too short for what he has to say. And all too 
short it is, for those who hang with breathless 
interest on his words. 

" Everything in manner and matter is the far- 
thest possible remove from anything like sensa- 
tional preaching. Utterly without self-seeking, 
the one aim and desire of his life is to lead sin- 
ners to Christ, and Christians to a life of truer 
consecration to Him. A full and free salvation 
he preaches, and preaches with all the earnestness 
of his soul; but not a salvation that involves no 
Christian living. In this he is emphatic. 



128 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

" His readings are marvellous. His unbound- 
ed love and reverence for the Bible, and its con- 
stant study, have given him an insight into its 
very heart. And the freshness, beauty and orig- 
inality of thought in these readings are a con- 
stant surprise, sometimes making every verse of 
a psalm, that from childhood has been familiar 
as the alphabet, a new illuminated text. 

" The flashes of genius all through his readings 
and sermons; the wonderful aptness of his illus- 
trations, driving the truth home irresistibly, and 
linking both truth and illustration so perfectly 
that one can never be recalled without the other; 
his astonishing memory, that carries a score of 
texts, perhaps at a single reading, scattered from 
Genesis to Revelation, naming book, chapter and 
verse, that the congregation may follow him in 
their own Bibles, with not a bit of paper to aid 
bis memory, and never an instant's hesitation in 
recalling a text or expressing a thought of his 
own — these all give him great power over an 
audience. 

" His intense love for souls, and his boundless 
love for the Master, are the key-notes of his life. 
And the tender, beseeching earnestness with 
which he strives to win even the most fallen and 
depraved to him, and the startling power with 
which he speaks to the conscience of those who 



IN LOVE WITH AMERICA. 129 

have already named the name of Christ, will 
never be forgotten by those who heard him. 

" The last service on Sunday evening drew by 
far the laro^est con o-re oration ever slathered within 
the walls of the brick church. Before seven 
o'clock the entire audience room was filled, the 
galleries crowded to their utmost capacity, the 
aisles below filled, and every inch of standing 
room taken. The stairways and lecture room 
were also filled with people, glad to stand within 
sound of his voice, though they could not get a 
glimpse of his face, while hundreds went away 
who could not gain entrance anywhere. 

" Mr. Moorhouse has carried with him to his 
English home the loving gratitude of thousands 
of Christian hearts who have been made better 
for a life- time by his visit; and when he crosses 
that wider sea he will find hundreds, we doubt 
not, on the other side, brought there by God's 
blessing on his earnest labors, waiting to wel- 
come him into the joy of their Lord." 

Henry's simplicity of character and childlike 
disposition was often the source of innocent 
amusement to his friends. Before unconverted 
persons, or weak brethren, he was very careful, 
but amono^st those who knew him and loved him 
he was unrestrained — his natural characteristics 
9 



130 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

having full play. His mistakes not only afforded 
enjoyment to others, but to himself on their dis- 
covery. Dining with friends who welcomed him 
to their home on his first visit to this country, 
ice-cream formed part of the dessert. Henry's 
ignorance of the dish led him to help himself 
largely to the first spoonful of an American cus- 
tard, as he supposed. But imagine his amaze- 
ment when for a moment he could not tell wheth- 
er he was scalded or frozen. Nor need we won- 
der that his host and family were convulsed with 
laughter as the tears forced themselves from 
Henry's eyes, and with a face expressive of agony 
he requested the lady of the house to have his 
fudding warmed. 

On one occasion, when riding on an Irish 
jaunting-car, it began to rain. Henry had a 
nice new hat. He was not, however, aware that 
there was a box behind the driver, called the well 
of the car. But on pulling out his cap, and try- 
ing to cover the chapeau with his cloak, the dri- 
ver suggested that he put the hat in the well. 
" In the well^'' quoth Henry, " why, my dear 
friend, I am trying to save it from the rain, and 
you ask me to put it in a well." And our amused 
evangelist chuckled over the supposed blunder 
of the Irish driver, whilst that functionary was 
making painful efforts to suppress his risibilities. 



IN LOVE WITH AMERICA. 131 

Henry lo^ed to roam the streets on a Saturday, 
when, as a rule, he had no meetings. This was 
his day of rest and recreation. The splendid 
stores, with their rich display of goods, had great 
attraction for him. Yet, with some remark or 
criticism, he passed them by hurriedly. But he 
lingered for hours at the " toy shops," or where 
" Yankee notions " could be seen to advantage. 
His early inclinations would show themselves on 
such occasions, and he would expatiate on the op- 
portunity of making money with such goods " at 
'ome." With a chuckle and a nod, he would ex- 
plain how the designs of Americans surpassed 
those of Englishmen, and with what eagerness 
the people would buy such and such fancies if he 
took the auction-block again. ISTot that Henry 
coveted gold, or allowed the thought of earthly 
gain to divert his mind from more serious pur- 
poses. He knew the Lord delivered him from 
vanity, and called him into the fellowship of His 
Son Jesus Christ, that he may carry heavenly 
riches to poor and needy sinners. More than- 
once we have seen his indignation aroused when 
hearing of some minister fighting for earthly po- 
sition, driving a sharp bargain, or turning the 
pulpit into a political rostrum. ITo, the humble 
evangelist could not be tempted from his precious 
work. When they sought to silence Luther with 



132 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENR Y MOORHO USE. 

a bribe, an ecclesiastic cried out: "What cares 
that Dutch beast for gold ? " Luther's heart was 
set on God's work, and God cared for him. Moor- 
house labored for Christ, and "daily bread" was 
supplied him. He lived hy faith. He was in 
this considered "eccentric." Mr. Worldlj-Wise- 
man frowned upon the lad as presumptuous, 
whilst those adroit gentlemen, Messrs. Get-all- 
you-can and Keep-all-you-get, laughed at his fol- 
ly, and hugged themselves for their prudence and 
foresight! But our simple-hearted preacher 
thought he heard a voice out of the Word, say- 
ing : 

" And having food and raiment, let us be 
therewith content. But they that will be rich 
fall into temptation and a snare, and into many 
foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in 
destruction and perdition. For the love of 
money is the root of all evil; which, while some 
coveted after, they have erred from the faith, 
and pierced themselves through with many sor- 
rows. But thou, O man of God, flee these 
things; and follow after righteousness, godli- 
ness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Figlit the 
good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, 
whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed 
a good profession before many witnesses. * ^ 
Charge them that are rich in this world that 



IN LOVE WITH AMERICA. 133 

they be not high minded, nor trust in uncertain 
riches, but in the living God, who giveth us rich- 
ly all things to enjoy. That they do good, that 
they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, 
willing to communicate; laying up in store for 
themselves a good foundation against the time 
to come, that they may lay hold on eternal lifo." 

Several offers were made to Henry of positions 
where he would have opportunity to accumu- 
late wealth, but as he did not choose the minis- 
try for "loaves and fishes," neither would he 
abandon his work for their multiplication. 

As a faithful narrator we must, however, admit 
that to our own mind Henry did not seem care- 
ful enough of his means. Frequently the stew- 
ards of his Lord bestowed money on this indefat- 
igable servant, and as frequently he soon parted 
with it. We would not dare assert our judgment 
infallible, and we are rather suspicious that he 
acted more in accordance with divine instruction 
and the spirit of his Master. 

When we remonstrated with him once for 
buying a dozen stove-lifters, and a dozen glass- 
cutters, can-openers, etc., from a street vendor, as 
throwing away his money on such frauds, he re- 
buked us severely by the quiet rejoinder: "My 
dear brother, I have many poor friends in Eng- 
land who never had such grand things as these. 



134: RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

and I want to make them happy ; besides that 
poor lad looked hungry, and may be he has a 
mother in need of his earnings." Previous to 
his embarkation for home, on the eve of every 
visit to this country his old and vahied friends, 
Mr. and Mrs. Owens, of New York, who became 
acquainted with him on his first visit to Ireland, 
and who loved him with all the warm.th of their 
big Irish hearts, did all his packing for him. 
From every part of the country packages were 
expressed to them. Now a box of dolls, then a 
lot of rubber balls, again a case of books, bric- 
a-brac, clocks, ink bottles, jack-knives, and count- 
less articles adapted to the young, the middle- 
aged, and the very oldest. These were to make 
his friends "happy." He was always giving; 
brinojina: to his American friends Bao;ster's Bi- 
bles, and taking to the dear ones at home every 
conceivable article of American ingenuity that 
w^ould make them a wee bit happier thereby. 

On one occasion, when dining with a poor 
Methodist minister, he noticed the broken forks, 
and meagreness of the cutlery. " When I come 
to America again," said Henry, " I will bring 
you a dozen Sheffield knives and forks." He 
thought this king's son in disguise worthy of 
such implements. The host did not know wheth- 
er his singular guest was making a joke or not. 



IN LOVE WITH AMERICA. 135 

Two years after, wlien lie returned, he found the 
needy brother had moved, but he hunted hira 
out and gave him the valuable present, which he 
had not forgotten to bring with him. 

AVhen he met a shivering newsboy, he gener- 
ally bought all his stock in trade at one purchase, 
doubling, perhaps, the price demanded, and 
would charge the wondering '' small boy" to 
hurry home to mother and get her a good supper. 

The following incident, related by Henry in a 
little meeting where he gave a series of addresses 
on the Book of Ruth, illustrates the warmth of 
his affection and the thoughtfulness of his 
heart : 

^' I remember one time I was very much down- 
cast. It was a cloudy and dark day, and I was 
very miserable. I think Christians ought not to 
be miserable, no matter what kind of days there 
are. But I was feeling down-hearted and sad. 
It was Christmas-eve, and there w^as a thick fog 
all over Manchester, where I live, and the cold, 
sleety, rain was coming down. I looked at my 
watch, and it was about eight o'clock. Four 
miles away there was a little cottage, with a 
bright fire, and a nice cup of tea ready for me. 
I thought to myself, I will go riglit home and 
make myself comfortable. But there was a lit- 
tle child two miles away who came into my mind. 



136 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

Should I not go and corafort her. There were 
no 'buses or trains, and I would have to trudge 
all the way; and it was Christmas-eve. I began 
to think: Well, now, little girls will want to have 
a doll to-morrow; I wonder if anybody has taken 
anything to this little child. It will be eleven 
o'clock before I get home if I go, and what will 
my wife say to my going home so late? And I 
will have to walk through the rain, and the slush, 
and the mud, and the fog. Something whispered, 
' I would not do it, if I were you.' But then 
another thought cam.e: Suppose that child w^ere 
your little Minnie, and there was no one to give 
her anything? I went into a toy shop, bought a 
doll for a few pence, and Itra-ted off through the 
cold and the wet. By-and-by I came to a cellar 
where this child lived with her mother and little 
brother. I knocked at the door, and a voice 
said, ' Come in.' I put my thumb on the latch 
and went inside. There was a smouldering lit- 
tle bit of fire burning, and no candle. By the 
light of the fire I saw the little boy sitting on 
one side, and lying on the bed there was the lit- 
tle girl, about nine years old. She was suffering 
from a terrible disease; she was going to have 
her little leg taken off" in a few weeks. She said 
to me, 'lam so glad you have come; nobody 
has been to see us, and mother has gone out to 



IN LOVE WITH AMERICA. 13T 

see if she could get anything to do, and get some 
money to buy the Christmas dinner with.' I 
said, ' I have come to give you a doll,' and I 
gave it to her. The little thing looked at it; 
then she put her hand into the bed, and took out 
some old rags. She said, ' I have been trying to 
make a doll myself, but I have got a real one 
now.' She took the doll I gave her and kissed 
it. In a moment the darkness had gone from 
my spirit; the cold, chilly feeling had disap- 
peared, and I was as happy as ever I could be. 
I would not have missed taking that doll, that 
only cost threepence or fourpence, for a five- 
pound note. Hov. glad it had made me! And 
the next day the happiness I had in seeing my 
own little girl was ten times more, because I 
knew another little girl was made happy too. 
Everywhere you go you will find gleaners — poor 
Ruths, who need somethmg — and God tells you 
to give them strength, and peace, and joy." 



CHAPTER XI. 

EVANGELISTIC CORRESPONDENCE. 

" Provoking' unto Love and Good Works" — Henry to Uslier 
— From the Faithful Tutor to the PuDil — Hambleton to 
Moorhouse — Henry to Jolin. 

We have before remarked that Henry was not 
much given to letter- writing, yet few men loved 
more to receive letters from his friends. Occa- 
sionally, however, his warm heart, throbbing 
towards others like him " bearing the burden and 
heat of the day," prompted him to pen some 
messages of good will. It will be seen at a 
glance that his letters were to edification. 
Neither romance nor nonsense entered into 
their composition. He spake and wrote as a 
" dying man to dying men." 'Nor can we re- 
frain from placing before our readers Hamble- 
ton's letters to Henry, which certainly portray 
the present time even more exactly than the days 
when the}^ were written — tliirteen years ago. All 
of these letters were written during Henry's first 
visit to America in 1867-68. In re-perusing 
(138) 



EVANGELISTIC CORRESPONDENCE. 139 

them, after having read them when first written 
onr soul has been refreshed and blessed, and we' 
would gladly share our blessings with every 
reader. 

Henry to Usher: 

"My dear Edwaed: "— 

" Witli a calm, joyous and peaceful heart, I write to you. 
Many are the hours we spent together, talking" about our 
failures and lack of love to Christ and the dear saints 
around us. How v^e mourned and how we wept over our 
continued shortcomings, and yet we felt so helpless and so 
weak, but not helpless or weak enough just to cast our- 
selves right upon the dear Saviour, and say: Lord Jesus, live 
Thy life in me, and let my Hfe be Thine from this time, 
henceforth and forever. 

"Now you and I, as gospel preachers, are constantly tell- 
ing sinners to trust the Saviour and be saved, but are we 
ourselves doing what we bid them do? Is it a truth that, 
being justified by faith, we are just? Is it true that the 
just shall live by faith? Faith in self ? No. Faith in en- 
deavors? No. Faith in my works? No. But faith in 
the Son of God, who loved us and gave Himself for us, that 
He might redeem us from all iniquity, and sanctify unto 
Himself a pecuHar people zealous of good works. 

****** 

** We have been going about for years with a trembling 
heart because we felt ourselves a target for Satan to hurl 
his darts at. _ Now, has net God given us armor ? but have 
we girded our armor on? I see now that helmet to be Christ, 
that breast-plate io be Christ, that shield to be Christ, the 
whole armor Christ. Now, if I live in Christ always, I 
am encased with armor, which is world-proof, sin-proof, 



140 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE, 

flesh-proof, hell-proof, and devil-proof, and the darts all 
fall powerless before Christ, my shield. Do that, my be- 
loved brother, and then in power will you realize in your 
own soul ' I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live; 
yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.' Let Him live in you, 
walk in you, speak in you, teach you, and then shaU you 
live blameless and harmless, a son of God without rebuke, in 
the midst of a crooked and perverse generation. 

"I am very sure your heart will be gladdened to hear of 
the goodness of the Lord to me since I left you in Manches- 
ter. Here, in a foreign land, I have experienced the blessed 
truth of His own word, ' I will never leave thee nor forsake 
thee.' From every denomination I have met nothing but 
kindness and Christian love. The brethren welcomed me 
with open arms to Philadelphia. As soon as they knew I 
had arrived, homes were offered and doors opened at once 
for preaching, and I am, thank God, able to preach the 
gospel every day. Now won't you pray very much for the 
Lord's work through me while I am here, and I am sure 
God will make His truth a blessing in this countiy. And 
may the dear, loving Lord bless and keep you in very much 
peace, for Christ's sake." 

*' Henry MooRnousE." 

From the faithful tutor to the pupil; 

*' Dear Brother in our Precious Jesus: 

" Your letter was indeed good news from a far country. 
The Lord's work prospering in your hands, with many open 
doors and open hearts prepared to receive the message of 
salvation, calls for much praise and thanksgiving to the God 
of all grace, who causeth us to triumph in every place. 

*' As my former letter was well-timed and profitable, you 
will doubtless again suffer the word of exhortation, while 
we would both desire to sit still at the feet of Him whose 



EVANGELISTIC CORRESPONDENCE. 141 

doctrine distiJls as tlie dew, and, with Mary of old, learn 
from his own lips those words of heavenly grace which melt 
our hard, selfish hearts into true humility, the only ground 
where we can in weakness and lowliness find rest to the 
weary soul, and receive the divine and eternal impress of 
Hun, whose purposes in Jesus are to mould and fashion us, 
body, soul and spirit, into the image of his well-beloved 
Son. 

' ' A few remarks, then, on things touched upon in your 
letter from Philadelphia : 

" 1 . Yom- acknowledgment of God's wonderful blessing 
as to your gift of. simplicity in utterance, which finds its way 
to so many hearts and with such power. 

"The word simpHcity, dear Henry, both in life before 
God, and word and conversation before men, contains in 
itself the whole practical teaching of God's "Word to man 
while sojourning here; but the natural heart, under all cir- 
cumstances, LS, was, and will be to the final consummation, 
intensely opposed to such practice, whether in the church 
or the world, because the carnal root of nature has been 
poisoned through believing Satan's promise and hearkenmg 
to his lies — ' Ye shall be as gods.' Every branch of the cor- 
rupt tree, as a natural consequence, seeks self-exaltation in 
ten thousand forms, both in daily walk and utterance; and 
simpHcity of faith is the only antidote either to kill the poi- 
son in our souls, or receive, from the root of the true Vine, 
the Uving, life-giving sap — His precious blood. Those who 
walk by sight, and receive their wisdom from the schools of 
men, are merely tall trees without fruifc— thick-leaved 
branches growing up between the crucified Saviour and the 
souls of poor sinners, barricading everyway of approach, so 
that the real, plain, lowly simplicity of Christ's gospel is too 
humbhng for wise and learned teachers, whose praise is not 
of God, but men. ' But thou, man of God, flee these 



142 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

tilings, and follow after rigliteoiisness, godliness, faith, love, 
patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold 
on eternal life. ' 

" 2. You say that the American field is very large, the har- 
vest very ripe, the laborers very few, and you are praying 
for Grod to send out more laborers. Amen ! Dear brother, 
my very soul joins you in the prayer, that God^ and not man, 
may be the sender, and that laborers, not idlers, may be the 
sent ones ; for whomsoever He sends He first qualifies to 
trust in Him alone — not to run before they are sent, nor lag 
behmd when He moves them on. Laborers mdeed for their 
Master's honour and not their own, for the profit of their 
fellow-creatures, that they may be saved, and not their own 
self-seeking ; laborers like those in nature's fields, who seek 
not the fashionable attire of this gaudy world, nor court the 
couches of down and feathers, but toiling on through storm 
and calm, look for fruits in cultivation of the soil, wait- 
ing themselves and watching for the early and the latter 
rain, ploughing in hope that they may reap with joy. 
Lord of the harvest, do send out real laborers into thy great 
harvest-fields, whose glorious reward shall be the words 
' Well done !' from thine own precious lips. Good Lord, 
deliver us from that base reward, the praises of men and the 
purses of the people. 

' Laborers, 
All taught of God, as former prophets told, 
Unlearned fools, in Christ made wise and bold.' 

"3. It is cheering to hea,r of the Lord's mercies in giving 
you daily strength for so many meetings. Your weak body 
need be a living sacrifice ; may He strengthen your soul like- 
wise in simple faith. It gladdens my heart, dear brother, 
to hear of your increasing relish for the precious Word. 
Our own appetites need spiritually sharpening, that our souls 
may grow ' strong in the Lord and in the power of His might, ' 



EVANGELISTIC CORRESPONDENCE. 143 

wliile constantly giving out to others. The fact of having 
left all your former life behind you, and never speaking of 
yourself now, is a proof of that living Word taking eifect 
within your soul, as witness the apostle Paul leaving things 
of old self behind, be they learning or ignorance, goodness 
or badness, past experience, or any other thing connected 
with himself or his own righteousness, and pressmg forward 
to the things of Jesus Christ which are eternal, and which 
all lay before him in the promises of God. This is the grand 
and effectual teacliing of the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of truth • 
first laying all of old self in the dust as vanity, then lifting up 
Jesus, who takes of His things, and reveals them unto us as 
we are able to bear the light. He begins with peace, through 
His precious blood, to our troubled, guilty consciences; 
then the resurrection life in Jesus, then Jesus Himself as 
the only object for the love of our hearts, then the blessed 
hope of coming glory, and all the way through He comforts 
us in sorrow, helps us in time of need, warns us of ap- 
proaching danger, keeps us by His mighty power in ail our 
weaknesses, guides us through dark seasons, uses us for the 
good of others, a,nd night and day works in us to will and 
do of His good pleasure, fitting, fashioning, moulding us by 
His Spirit to be partakers of His divine nature, m order 
that, as sons and daughters of the living God, we may, 
throughout the eternal ages, be to the praise of His glory, 
who hath redeemed us by His own precious blood, to dwell 
with Him in righteousness and true holiness in", the new 
heavens and new earth which God Himself hath purposed 
for Himself." 

"Yours in Jesus only," 

" John Hambleton.'* 

*'Dear Brother: — Tour complaint of the many differ- 
ent gospels and forms of error Satan is sending out in Amer- 
ica is sad indeed. Truly, dear brother, had not the Spirit 



14:4 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

said "endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Clirist," it 
was enough to make you ground arms at once in a strange 
land, amongst a strange people; out your testimony was 
owned of God, and doors flew open in other directions. He 
is ever faithful, and His promise holds good, ' I wHl never 
leave thee, nor forsake thee. ' 

"Those who study the Book of Revelation as a mirror ex- 
posing the face of things passing around us in these last 
days, unfolding the hidden workings of the powers of dark- 
ness, both in the churches and in the world, while revealing 
the fulfillment of God's counsels, purposes, warnings, prov- 
idences and judgments as time proceeds, are seldom sur- 
]|»rised at extraordinary events transpmng, connected either 
with individuals, families, churcnes or nations. There is a 
blessmg pronounced upon all who read, hear and keep the 
saymgs of the prophecy of this book, and that blessing is a 
daily light upon the path as we journey on, showing the 
things which have been and are yet fulfilling, things which 
must come to pass until the last enemy is put under the feet 
of Christ, and the new heavens and earth created. Our call 
as Christians in this world, has a twofold character: (1.) 
to witness for Jesus, that God hath given us eternal life in 
Him ; (2) to testify that the deeds of this world are evil, by 
our separation from it in spirit, following Him who said, 
' My kingdom is not of this world.' We are called out from 
amongst men who are without faith, and consequently the 
powers of darkness and unbelief are our deadly foes. 
Wicked spirits, antagonistic to Jesus Christ and His truth, 
sent by the Prince of Darkness, are busy in this world op- 
posing the Light of Life and incessantly promulgating false 
doctrines, error and delusions, blinding the minds of them 
that believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of 
Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. 
(2 Cor. iv: 4.) 



EVANGELISTIC CORRESPONDENCE. 145 

"All opposition to God is lawlessnes, but God's long suffer- 
ing has been so presumed upon that in these last days it 
comes to the full; and men, led by fallen angels and wicked 
spirits, have spumed the blood of Jesus, broken the ever- 
lasting covenant, and done despite to the Spirit of grace, 
so the axe which was laid at the root of the trees at Cal- 
vary is now at the root of the unfruitful nations which are 
to be cut down and cast into the fire. The sharp sickle is 
about to reap the vine of the earth and to cast it into the 
great wine- press of God's wrath. 

*' You need not wonder, dear brother, at the many gos- 
pels, which are not gospels but errors, amongst the Ameri- 
can people. If you look back into past history, for twelve 
centuries Satan has had an established religion called Ro- 
man Catholicism, as described by John in his apocalyptic 
vision (Rev. xvii), as a woman riding on the back of a beast. 
She is drunken with the blood of the saints and the martyrs 
of Jesus. Rulers and magistrates, with kings and all secu- 
lar authority, are legitimate temporal ministers of God, to 
whom we are authorized to pay tribute, for they are ordained 
of God for the putting down of evil-doers. They bear not 
the sword in vain, and we, as Christians, are commanded to 
pray for such; but this apostate church, under Satan and 
the powers of darkness, took possession of this authority, 
and setting up a chm'ch on earth in mockery to the church 
of Christ — which has a heavenly and not an earthly call — 
they, the kings of the earth, yielded to this drunken woman, 
and committed spiritual fornication with her, giving them- 
selves into her wicked embraces, so that invisible principali- 
ties and powers and rulers of the darkness of this world have 
been seated on the thrones of state. Kings, princes, popes, 
cardinals, priests, bishops, archbishops, and all these higher 
powers, having received this great harlot church with all 
her daughters, have begotten all sorts of abominations in 
10 



14:6 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOOEHOUSE. 

the earth, for she is the mother of harlots, and abominations 
of the earth; all the misrule in the nations is frorh her; all 
the oppositions of the simple truth of Christ are caused by 
her; all the troubles, murders, and wars or discords, are 
caused by her; and all the errors, false religions, and delu- 
sions of these last days, are her offspring', because she has 
trampled the truth of Jesus to the ground, which would oth- 
erwise have enlightened the nations, and taught them the 
love of God in Jesus crucified and risen for them. 

*' Now God has been consuming her with the spirit of His 
mouth, and she begins to see her death approaching. Her 
nakedness is seen by the poor, ignorant, deluded nations; 
but she has an elder son who is yet to succeed her upon the 
throne of confusion. This eldest son is Infidelity. No sooner 
is Satan cast from his seat in the hea,vens, or religious hi- 
erarchy, than God's own true children rejoice; but theory is, 
* Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea.' These 
lower walks for proud Lucifer is a sign to him that he knows 
his time is short; for, seated amongst popes and potentates 
of earth, he may reign at ease and keep the ignorant masses 
in awe by his priests ; but when he is thrown down from 
priestly power and kingly rule amongst the uneducated 
masses, he is enraged. It was so when the Scribes 
and Pharisees lost power. As the people received Jesus of 
Nazareth, he followed the apostles with rage and malice; 
but now, in these last days, as Popery, with all her branches, 
whether Anglican or Greek, Mohammedan or Confucian, 
and the powers of darlmess, come down amongst the com- 
mon people, all sorts of gospels, aU sorts of delusions aU 
sorts of discords are fomented, because it is universal blood 
and slaughter he now intends. The printing-press has 
shown the people the sham religions, but does not show 
them Jesus. The Holy Ghost is gathering out a people 
amidst it aU. The blinded nations believe Satan's lie, and 



EVANGELISTIC CORRESPONDENCE. 147 

cry, * Give us earth.' The believers in Jesus and His truth 
cry, * Come, Lord Jesus, and give us heaven.' The educa- 
tion of the people by penny readings and secular lectures is 
making them mfidels and not Christians, and professed 
teachers are spreading morality and self-righteousness in- 
stead of that gospel which is alone God's power unto salva- 
tion to every one that belie veth. 

*' Dear brother, we are indeed in perilous times, but Jesus 
Christ is the same yesterday, to-day and forever. Keep on 
laboring in His name, bearing testimony by your life that 
your name is written in heaven and not on earth; and He 
who never slumbers nor sleeps will keep you awake in the 
midst of a sleepy church and wicked world." 

*' Yours in Jesus only, 

"John H ambleton . ' ' 

Harry to Jolin : 

" My beloved Brother in Christ: 

*' Tour letter to me, has given me much joy; it is so sweet 
to know that, while one is away in another land and clime, 
those we love at home are remembermg us before the Lord. 
Absent we may be from each other in body, but one in heart 
we are, blessed be God. It is with much pleasure I read 
The Revival, (now The Christian, sua. English weekly) out 
here; one seems to be brought so near to you all as I read 
its pages, telling of your work in the old country. Suppo- 
sing you would like to hear of the Lord's dealings out here 
with His servant, I sit down to write to you, and tell you how 
He is blessing His own word. 

" Fhst, let me say that in almost every place God takes me 
to, the pastors of the various churches, in much love and 
kindness, offer me every assistance in their power. Their 
pulpits are given me, their churches are opened, their 
prayers are for God to bless, and their words are to encour- 
age their congregations to come out and Hsten to the story 



148 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

of the Cross. In the city of Wihuington, nine churclies were 
kindly given me, and in every one of them the pastors re- 
joiced at the word. Very sorry they were when I left them 
for a little time, and unanimously wished I could stay. 

" Going one day with dear Dr. Shaw, a Presbyterian minis- 
ter in Rochester, to the almshouse to speak to the inmates, I 
met an old darkie, who taught me a blessed lesson. I no- 
ticed, during the preaching, his happy face, and every time 
aught was said very pointedly, he turned round to another 
and said, ' Dat's it ; dafs it.'' After preaching, tracts were 
given them, which they seemed to prize very much. Sha- 
king ha,nds with the old negro, the matron standing by 
said,* Oh, he is a preacher.' ' Are you?' said I. 'Yees, sar, I 
tells of Christ, my Saviour,' and the tears came to his eyes; 
' I likes to follow de Lamb whider eber He goeth. ' ' Did you 
follow Him in here ? ' said I, looking at him in surprise. 
' Yees, sar, I followed Him here, and I'se very happy; I tells 
of Jesus, my Saviour.' 'God bless you, sar; come again, 
won't you, sar ? ' and the old pauper preacher went his way 
to his ward. Truly he was rich; he had learnt to be con- 
tent, and maybe God led him there, that He Himself might 
be glorified. 

" I could not tell you how much I love to preach to the 
colored people; their childlike manners and simple faith are 
really surprising. Tell them of Jesus, they never tire, but 
will sit for hours; speak of his power in cleansing the leper 
or in stilling the ocean, or in raising the dead, and they 
laugh, and caper, and almost dance for joy. Tell them 
how He was despised and rejected, cast out, spit upon, 
crowned with thorns and crucified, they sit and moan, and 
mh with genuine tears of love to Christ. Then speak of 
how He burst the chains of death, and rose triumphant 
from the dead, and theirs tears are turned to smiles, and 
their sobs to hallelujahs. You would like so much, dear 
brother, to preach to them. It is happy, joyous work. 



EVANGELISTIC CORRESPONDENCE. 149 

" Their spirituality none can doubt. Unable to read or 
write, very many of them just out of bondage, one cannot 
help seeing the power of the Spirit of God in teaching them 
the blessed truth about Jesus. I had been preaching one 
day in a colored Baptist church; much power was given with 
the word, and many seemed very anxious. An aged black 
woman, over eighty years old, stepped up to me and said, 
'Honey, the Lord bless you;' wringmgmy hand and with 
the tears trickling down her wrinkled face, she said, ' Hon- 
ey, watch and pray; Satan, de roaring lion, goes about 
seeking whom he may devour, and he always fights de 
champions.' Oh, what a lesson! He fights us when we 
are strong in self; he touches us not when we are weak, for 
then we cling close to that blessed Jesus, who fought and 
conquered the roaring lion on Calvary. Many more pre- 
cious truths have the colored people taught me, and I love 
to imitate their child-like confidence in the living God. 

"It is very cheering, as one goes from place to place, to 
find so much fruit remaining from the preaching of our 
dear brother, H. Grattan Guinness. 1 suppose from all I 
hear, that since the days of Whitfield no evangelist in this 
land has won so many souls to Chi-ist, and the people clus- 
ter around me to ask me if I know him, and how he is, and 
what he is doing; and many a ' God bless him ' I hear 
from rich and poor. I have seen some out here who heard 
and were blessed through the preaching of dear Richard 
Weaver. Let us go on, beloved brother, until it pleases 
our heavenly Father to give us other work to do, preaching 
the word, the simple word, in season and out of season; 
and let us learn a lesson not to be discouraged by seeing so 
many reject the word of truth as preached by us. 

" Out here is a great place for advertising; you can hardly 
go anywhere without seeing, written and painted, upon 
fences, walls, rocks, trees and houses, something like the 



150 UECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

following: * Use so and so, rheumatic remedy; never fails 
to cm-e.' 'Try so and so, dyspepsia mixture; a sure rem- 
edy,' etc. Well, people read them and laugh every day 
they see it, and don't mind it at all; but perhaps some 
day they feel the rheumatic pain, then they remember what 
they have read, and no doubt go and get the remedy. 
Even so with our preaching: we preach and they laugh; 
we preach again, and they reject; but maybe some day 
they will feel the plague of sin, and remember the remedy, 
trust in Christ Jesus, and be made whole. 

" I have much to say to you but reserve it for some other 
time. I am well; very happy in my work; God is blessing 
me very much; souls are saved; and, if He, our Lord tar- 
ries, am looking forward to leaving this land for home some 
time in April or beginning of May. 

"God bless you, 

'Harry MooRHOUSE." 



CHAPTEH XII. 
CLOSma LABORS AND DEATH. 

Alarming Symptoms — Bible Carriage "Work — ^The Carriage 
at Oldham — Geo. Muller's Report — Henry's Legacy — ' 
Last Letter — Henry's Farewell — " In Memoriam." 

In 1876 Henrj came from Manchester to Liv- 
erpool to visit the writer and his family, on the 
eve of sailing for America. His special errand 
was to urge our taking a brief tour with him in 
Scotland. Accordingly we prepared for the jour- 
ney. The first night in Stirling alarmed ns, as 
we listened to Henry's hacking cough. But he 
only laughed at our apprehensions, and said he 
was accustomed to it. In the fall of the same 
year he visited us in Pliiladelphia, and we jour- 
neyed together to Chicago, having both received 
a telegram from D. L. Moody to join him in that 
city. Again and again we reverted to his con- 
stant coughing, but found it only worried him 
to do so. He said the doctors could not help 
him, but he hoped for improvement. Throughout 
(151) 



152 EECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOOEHOUSE. 

the whole time of this, his final visit, he seemed 
to his friends to be unlike his former self. And 
strangers who had long wished to form his ac- 
quaintance, were disappointed in the man. He 
had become reserved and apparently anxious. We 
were not, however, surprised. The fear which 
the nature of his disease engendered that he 
might die away from home; the ever-present sor- 
row that his little girl, whom he dearly loved, 
was a hopeless cripple; the delicate condition of 
his wife at the time, and other serious matters, 
engrossed his mind, and led him to be much 
alone. He retired from his meals to his room, 
and was scarcely seen again until he stood before 
his congregations. But the sick brother labored 
heroically, and though often suffering from ner- 
vous prostration, preached with unwonted power 
in some of the cities where he visited. Directly 
on his return to England, he sought the advice 
of competent physicians, but their conclusions 
gave him little hope. Kind friends promptly 
offered their services, and ministered to his 
wants, which he greatly appreciated. The lov- 
ing looks and simple thanks told how his heart 
felt towards them. He now restricted his preach- 
ing to parlor Bible readings, and similar gather- 
ings free from the excitement attendant upon 
more public audiences. That our apprehensions 



CLOSING LABORS AND DEATH. 153 

of his serious illness were well founded, we 
learned from various sources. A few of his 
friends who had been benefited bj his ministra- 
tions, hearing of his sickness, entrusted me with 
a little money for him. We append his letter 
of response, dated Manchester, England, Maj 
20th, 1880: 

*'My beloved Brother: 

* ' Your kind letter and draft for ten pounds safe to hand. 
Will you accept my warmest thanks, and also thank the 
dear friends who have not forgotten me in my weakness. 
They wiU be sorry to hear that I am suffering from severe 
heart disease, and that there is no earthly chance of my 
ever getting better. But all is well, and I am very happy. 
* * * I am still doing something for my Lord and Master, 
circulating His blessed word by means of Bible carriages, 
havuig three now at work, and the sales are wonderful. 
Tilings are very quiet in England * * * The midnight sleep 
is on the Church and the Lord will soon be here to take us 
home. Love to dear Mrs. N. and all friends. God bless 
you both." 

**H. Moorhouse." 

Since the date of the above letter, Henry's con- 
dition became more serious. His family foresaw 
what the end must be, and lovingly they minis- 
tered to the patient sufferer. But he continued 
the superintendence of his Bible carriages, 
anxious to labor for his loving Lord, to the last. 
Of the importance ^f his work Hambleton wrote: 



154 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHO USE. 

•* Having both tried and proved for several years 
tlie value of Bible work, blended with Evangelistic 
effort, amongst the masses of England, I am fully per- 
suaded that where men gifted for this especial work are 
found laboring with a single eye to the glory of God, there 
is no service more needed, and no corner of the Lord's vine- 
yard where the smile and continued presence of the Master 
are so powerfully realized. But as tares grow together 
with wheat, and Satan always mimics the truth with his 
counterfeits, either to bring persecution upon the true ser- 
vants of the Lord, or exalt his own falsehoods to deceive 
the people, the advice of Moses' father-in-law as to the 
characteristics of those men who engage in such work is 
worthy of notice — first, able men; second, such as fear God; 
third, men of truth; fourth, hating covetousness : (Exod. 
xviii: 2L 

" The Bible-carriage under the direction of our brother 
Henry Moorhouse has, since it was first launched into the 
sea of people at crowded markets and fairs, witnessed many 
a storm. We have seen it surrounded by rough and hostile 
mobs. The large printed texts have been painted all over, 
more than once in the hand of a rabble. Only the other 
week at one town it was taken into custody by the police, 
and, when liberated, placed outside the bounds of the mar- 
ket or fair-ground. Nevertheless, thousands of Testaments 
with little Gospel books and Bibles of various sizes and 
type, are carried to the homes of the people. The^Gospel is 
preached from the platform, and a testimony for the Lord 
to the crowds, and we trust that many who buy the Book, 
search, like the Bereans of old, to see whether these things 
be so." *'JoHN Hambleton." 

A writer in The Christian of March 23, 
1880, narrates the following: ' 



CLOSING LABORS AND DEATH. 155 

" During the last nine weeks Mr. Moorhouse's Bible Car- 
riage has been at Oldham; the two friends who accompany 
it, Mr. F. Brewster and Mr. Fergisun, have been paying 
visits during the daytime to the various cotton-mills in the 
town and district, and by this means have succeeded in dis- 
posing of a large number of copies of God's Word to the 
work-people. 

" The Carriage was stationed in what is known as ' Tom- 
my Field's ' a ^kind of half fair, half market-place, which 
on the Satm-day night is crowded by many hundreds of 
persons. Here, in the midst of all the noise of brass bands 
and big drums at the various shows, the sale of God's 
Word goes on, while during the evening hymns are sung 
and short Gospel addresses are given. I had the pleasure 
of joining in the sale of the Scriptures on Saturday night 
last, and I fully reahzed the very trying nature of the work 
for those dear brethren who are engaged in it. We had a 
quack doctor stationed close beside the Carriage, who 
strove with might and main to attract the crowds who 
gathered to listen while we spoke to them, and after mak- 
ing several attempts, he had to give up, and we were left 
in possession of the field. Duncan Matheson's ' Gospel 
Bell ' did good service in attracting the people. 

"There have been sold 7,000 Testaments at four cents, 
1,600 Bibles (of which 600 were Oxford Teachers' Bibles), 
and 2,000 'From the Pit to the Throne;' while 84,000 
Gospel books and 7,000 periodicals have been given away. 
It will be seen that a most important work has been 
done, and we doubt not God's blessing will follow his own 
Word." 

The object of the Director was to sell Bibles 
and Testaments at a nominal price, as the pur- 
chasers would appreciate them more than if 



156 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

tliej were given away. The work was truly " a 
work of faith," as well as a " labor of love.'* 

It will never be known till the great day of re- 
wards, the incalculable good which this beloved 
brother accomplished, when too weak for the ar- 
duous work of preaching. Like the Master, he 
labored whilst it was day, nor does he now regret 
that he planned to scatter millions of heavenly 
messages among the perishing children of men. 
In the "Narrative of Facts," relative to the- 
" Scriptural Knowledge Institution," under the 
care of Mr. George Miiller, the founder of the 
Bristol Orphan Houses, we find reference made 
to Mr. Moorhouse. 

In Sept. 1879, Henry writes: "Our Bible 
Carriage opened at Wigan on Saturday. I was 
much concerned about this dark tovv^n, most of 
the people being colliers, and a great many out 
of work, and others out on strike. But God^ 
who hears prayer, opened the way. We sold on 
Saturday lOlT New Testaments in the market- 
place, besides Bibles and ' Words of Comfort.' 
We gave away 12,000 little books. To our liv- 
ing Lord be all praise. * * * * 
I am hoping, God willing, next month to open 
a second Bible Carriage for London, -this modern 
Babylon." 



CLOSING LABOBS AND DEATH. 157 

In October, 1879, he writes : "We liave had 
a blessed time at Leicester, and many souls, I 
trust, have decided for the Lord Jesus. During 
the fair, in one week, 1,711 I^ew Testaments have 
been sold, besides Bibles and Portions. At 
Wigan a grand work has been done, and up to 
last Monday over 2,000 New Testaments were 
sold. Praise be to the Lord for inclining the 
hearts of the masses to purchase the Scriptures. 
The Lord has been giving great blessings in con- 
version, through my ministry, the last eight 
weeks. Over 150 have professed conversion." 

On Jan. 12th, 1880, this dear brother writes 
regarding his work : "We are hearing of con- 
versions to God every week. The other day a 
poor woman bought a twopenny Testament; she 
opened it ; her eyes fell on John v. 24, She was 
convicted and converted, and is now in happy 
fellowship with the Lord's people." This letter 
contained an order for 5,000 IS'ew Testaments 
and 600 Bibles, a similar number having been 
ordered on previous occasions. 

On Feb. 16th he writes: "The blessed work 
of circulating the Scriptures seems rather to in- 
crease than diminish. J^ever had we such a week 
before as last week at Oldham, taking over £30 
for Bibles and Testaments. Praise to the Lord ! 
In many mills, I am told, the girls are now read- 



158 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

ing the Scriptures during the dinner hour, and 
the masters say these girls do more work than 
those who are careless about better things." The 
letter is again accompanied by an order for 5,000 
Testaments and 200 Bibles. 

On May 6th he writes again : "We are still 
having very blessed times. Our carriage was at 
Stockport fair last week, and in three days we 
sold more than 1,000 l^ew Testaments and many 
Bibles. At Bradford, Yorkshire, we took more 
than £25 last week for Scriptures, and thousands 
heard the Word of Life." The letter is again ac- 
companied by an order for 5,000 New Testa- 
ments and 600 Bibles. 

Mr. Miiller adds : ^* To this devoted servant 
of Christ we sold, during the past year at reduced 
price, four thousand two hundred and thirty- 
six Bibles, fifty-four thousand and twelve 
I^ew Testaments, and many tens of thousands of 
books, which he spread in connection with his 
open-air preaching and three Bible Coaches. I 
particularly commend him to the prayers of the 
Christian reader, that God would graciously be 
pleased to bless his labors abundantly and to 
strengthen him physically for them." 

Henry has left no legacy to his family. The 
Lord cared for him and them whilst he was liv- 
ing; the Lord will not forsake them now. Hosts 



CLOSING LABORS AND DEATH. 159 

of friends will be raised np of God to provide 
for the fatherless, and remember the widow. His 
legacy to the church of God, is an example of 
faith, diligence, zeal, love for the trnth and facil- 
ities to distribute it. He has left three Bible- 
carriages to the church, from which 50,000 Bibles 
and Testaments were sold in 1879, and 70,000 
in 1880. In addition about 2,000,000 of Gospel 
papers, tracts and books have been given away. 
The expenditure for all this work did not exceed 
fifteen hundred dollars. What a rebuke does 
the work of the closing days of an unassuming 
and sick brother give to " societies," " commit- 
tees," " organizations " and " churches? " "What 
a rebuke to us all who play at saving souls, and 
have never yet, it may be, come to the close 
"grups." 

When the faithful laborer's work is done, then 
comes rest. Henry's earthly work is done, his 
race is run; his course finished; the time of his 
departure arrived at last. He fell with the har- 
ness on, heeding the injunction, '' Watch thou 
in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of 
an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry." 
2 Tim. iv., 5. 

Probably the last letter which he penned was 
to our well-beloved Major Whittle, who pro- 



160 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

posed to call on him on Tuesday, Dec. 28. 
Henry's reply was brief, but expressive: 

" Dear loyed Brother: " 

"Just out of bed; first time for many a day. If I am 
not with the Lord, shall be real glad to see you next Tues- 
day; but I am very ill. Ask prayer for me to suffer for 
Christ better than ever I preached for Him I only want to 
glorify Him. * * * I am glad to hear of all the bless- 
ing. Praise be to the Lord. 

"H. MoORHOUSE." 

The Christian, of London, the Editor of wliich 
for twenty years befriended the subject of our 
book, and to whom English evangelists owe an 
increasing debt of gratitude for his pei'sonal 
friendship and unwearied kindness, thus refers 
to the last moments of the dying saint: 

''HENRY MOORHOUSE'S FAREWELL." 

' ' With very great sorrow we record the death, in the prime 
of his life and of matured capacity for usefulness, of our 
beloved and valued brother, Henry Moorhouse. For the 
past three years he has suffered from disease of the heart, 
was called to his rest at midnight "of Monday, 27th ult., 
aged forty, and was buried on the last day of the old year, 
in the presence of many of his brother evangelists and 
other friends, some from long distances. Among those who 
took part in the service at the grave were his early and con- 
stant friends, John Hambleton, Richard Weaver and John 
Street. 

"But, being dead, he yet speaketh. AU our readers, and 
all who know Mr. Moody, know how much, at the outset of 



CLOSING LABORS AND DEATH. 161 

his career, he owed to Henry Moorhouse. Truly, the seed 
sown by the brother who has gone has borne abundant fruit, 
and we trust will bear yet more abundantly for years to come, 
in the work for God of D. L. Moody, Major Whittle, and 
others in America, as well as not a few in England, who 
profited by his sunple, clear, and forcible expositions of the 
Good Tidings." 

John Hambleton writes: 

"Dear Brother: — Our dear little brother has gone 
home; his great heart was too big for his little frail body. 
I stayed at his house three or four nights a week while la- 
boring in Manchester, during December. His sufferings 
were great, coughing for hours together, but his happy smile 
throughout completely answered to that precious peace of 
soul reigning within. * Oh, all right,' he would say, 'it's 
only a cough; it would be worse if there were no cough.' 
Calling to see him on Monday last, before he left us, I 
grasped his arms, as his face betokened that the enemy 
death was doing his last work, and said : * Harry, we shall 
soon meet up yonder.' He replied, while gasping for breath : 
' Sure, sure, sure ! ' 

" There was a native simplicity in this dear lad ever since 
he was brought to the Lord, "We traveled together when 
he was about nineteen, and his little anecdotes would, in 
two or three minutes, fill a whole congregation with tears of 
joy. * * * * His growth in the knowledge 
of his Bible in the years that followed, has been proved by 
his works, which will follow him. How plainly visible is the 
work of God, in putting into such a little, fraU vessel as our 
brother, such a treasure, showing us all that the excellency 
of the power is of God, and not of us. 

* ' Yours in Him, 

" John Hambleton." 
11 



162 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

The Word and Work, another Eii^^lish pe- 
riodical which appreciated Henry's work, and 
chronicled his labors from time to time, speaks 
of his death: 

*'m MEMORIAM." 
"Mr. Henry Moorhouse/^ 

** We deeply regret to record that at midniglit on Mon day, 
27tli ult., this honored evangelist passed to be with that 
Lord in whose service the last twenty years of his life have 
been spent. While to him it is ' far better, ' the announce- 
ment of his departure wHl cause deep sorrow in many 
hearts, both in our own land and in the United States, 
where he was blessed of God to win many souls. All who 
had the privilege of his acquaintance know that he was a 
simple-minded and loving disciple, whose distinguishing 
characteristic was an intense reverence for the Word of 
God, and his addresses, whether to Christians or the un- 
saved, were at all times in the form of Scriptural exposi- 
tions. The same trait is illustrated by his latest effort for 
the Master — the Bible carriage, of which we have given 
from time to time particulars in these columns. We well 
remember the delight with which he recently told us of sell- 
ing in one hour no less than 500 copies of the Word of 
God, chiefly to those who already possessed no Bible. The 
care of the Manchester Bible carriage has been undertaken 
by Christians in that town, while the London Bible carriage 
is to be placed in charge of William Grove, who for over a 
year has been working therewith. At present about £80 
are still due on this carriage. We should be glad to hear 
that our friends were coming forward liberally in the matter. 

"At such a time we cannot help recalling the words of 



CLOSING LABORS AND DEATH. 163 

Mr. D, L. Moody, as he told us in 1875, with tears in his 
eyes, that his whole ministry in the Gospel had received a 
fresh impetus, and its character had been changed, as the 
direct results of Ilem-y Moorhouse's first visit to Chicago; 
and it has been so in many other cases we could mention. 
Indeed, to Mr. Moorhouse's Bible readings are ascribed," un- 
der God, the awakening of thousands of American chris- 
tians to a more direct and thorough searching of Scripture, 
and more particularly as concerns the coming of the Lord. 
Our brother, who, after a painful illness, fell asleep at his 
residence, 55 Tiverton Street, Ardwick, Manchester, has 
left a sorrowing widow and two little ones — a baby boy and 
" Cripple Minnie," for whom the sympathy and prayers of 
many Christians have been awakened in the past on account 
of her affliction. The care of these surely devolves upon the 
Church. A well-known Christian gentleman writes : ' Could 
we not do for these what we did for the widow and bairns 
of Mr. Henry Hull, some twenty years ago, viz., raise a 
sum of about £2,000, in order that a modest competence 
might be secured them ? ' We beheve that Miss Macpher- 
son would gladly take charge of any money subscribed for 
this purpose, while our American and Canadian readers 
might forward their subscriptions to Mr. Geo. C. Needham, 
Chicago Ave., Chm-ch, Chicago." 

A brother Evangelist widely known in Eng- 
land and not unknown in this land, where he 
paid a visit with Henry in 1876, reports: 

"Jan. 1, 1881. 

"Another standard-bearer has fallen. The ranks have 

been once more thinned, and dear Harry Moorhouse, much 

loved, and much honored by God in blessing to souls on 

both sides of the Atlantic, is at home with his Lord forever. 



164: RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

He fell asleep in Jesus on Monday, December 27tli, at mid- 
night, and, thougli sufFering- intense pain, was enabled to 
cheer the sorrowing ones around him with such words as 
'All, all is well,' and to his own little Minnie he could 
leave that precious text he ever loved to speak of, ' God is 
love.' 

' ' When we saw him a week or two since he said he be- 
lieved his work for Christ was nearly over, and yesterday, as 
we looked at his remains, we could hardly realize even then 
that those lips would never again tell us of Jesus and His 
love to sinners, and that his well-worn Bible, which lay in its 
accustomed place, would never again be used by him in help- 
ing young converts, and in edifying the Church of God. 

"Twenty years ago he was brought to Christ in one of 
the meetings in Manchester, and from the very first began 
to speak for his Lord, and till just before his departure was 
incessant in his labors for the Master. Some of us who 
knew him intimately, and have labored with him in this 
and other lands, have met not only with many who were 
brought to Christ through his instrumentality, but very 
many Christians to whom his precious Bible readings have 
been made a lasting blessing. 

"On Friday, 31st, a number of as carried his remains to 
the Ardwick Cemetery, there to await the morning of the 
resurrection, 'when the sleeping saints will be changed, 
and the living ones caught up to meet their Lord in the air. ' 

' ' Amongst the servants of Christ who were present were 
Richard "Weaver (who was the means of the departed one's 
conversion), John Hambleton (with whom he first labored 
for Christ), and Edward Usher (with whom Mr Moorhouse 
sold his first Bible, twenty years ago). As we stood around 
that open grave, we were able to sing, though our eyes were 
dimmed with tears, — 

* There'll be no parting, 
There'll be no parting there.' 



ClOSING LABORS AND DEATH. 165 

And as tliat song went up from tlie many who were there 
we thought of the day about to dawn, when we should 
meet to go no more out forever. 

"Need I ask that friends here, and in America, will re- 
member his dear widow in their prayers, that the God of 
all grace may sustain her in this heavy trial. May we, who 
still linger upon the scene, seek to live as he did for souls, 
for eternity, and for immortal glonj. 

" Charles Inglis." 

It is well for us wlio are left to mourn the loss 
we sustain in his removal, and especially his own 
dear family circle to remember, that " all things 
work together for good to them that love God." 

" Through the love of God our Saviour, 

All will be well. 
Free and changeless is his favor; 

AH, all is well. 
Precious is the blood that heal'd us, 
Perfect is the grace that seaFd us, 
Strong the hand stretched forth to shield us, 

All must be weU..'* 

*' We expect a bright to-morrow; 

All will be weU. 
Paith can sing through days of sorrow, 

Ah, all is well. 
On our Father's love relying, 
Jesus eveiy need suppl^ang, 
Or in hving or m dying, 

AU must be weU! " 



166 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

Copy of Memorial Card sent to friends. 
IN MEMORIAM. 



3En lobt'ng J^emorg 

OF 

HENRY MOORHOUSE 

Who fell asleep in Jesus, at 55 Tiverton Street, 

Ardwiek, Manchester, 

On Monday Morning, December 27th, 1880. 

Aged 40 Years. 



The remains were laid in Ardwiek Cemetery, on Friday, the 
31st of December, at ^ o'clock. 



oir is Eobe« 

I John, 4 ch., 16 V. 



CLOSING LABORS AND DEATH. 



16T 



In Mtmoxio> of Jgenrg J^oocfiouse, 



BY MRS. GEO. C. NEEDHAM. 



Comfort one another with these words." i Thes. iv, 13, 16. 
Oh, words of grand and blissful cheer, 
To soothe the pain and dry the tear, 
When death has torn life's fondest ties. 
And grief wrings out our anguished cries, 
The dead in Christ again shall rise, 
As He returneth from the skies. 

What hope and vigor they impart, 

To every chastened, brok" n heart. 

Whose dear ones faded from their eyes, 

As sunset's lovely color dies. 

The d ad in Christ again shall rise. 
As He returneth from the skies. 

They are not lost, they only wait. 

In Paradise, in restful" state. 

Beyond all toils, all pains, all sighs. 

All arts of death that Satan tries. 

The dead in Christ again shall rise, 
As He returneth from tlie skies. 

With life divine, in Him they sleep, 

And Jesus' care shall faithful keep 

The dust that we so sweetly prize, 

Until that day of glad surprise, 

When dead in Christ again shall rise, 
As He returneth from the skies. 



What forms of glory each shall take, 
Who on that happy morn awake ; 
What light shall flood our weeping eyes, 
As we, too, burst these mortal ties. 

And quick and dead together rise 
To join their Saviour in the skies. 



CHAPTEE XIII. 

TESTIMONIALS. 

An Indiana Banker — Dr. Shaw — Wm. Eeynolds — ^Thomas 
Kimber's remarkable Letter — "Mr. Kimber, are you a 
Christian? " — The Victory— Practical Res alts — Miss Mac- 
pherson. 

"We append a series of letters to complete our 
*' Eecollections." The testimonials of others 
will form a fitting close to our book. Some of 
them tell a story of profound interest. The first 
is from a cliristian man of note in his own 
community, whose words for the Master have 
also been heard in other States than his own. 
Like Paul, he labors with his hands for temporal 
support, not, however, at tent-making but at 
banking. ISTor does this detract from his minis- 
try, but rather gives him power as an independent 
witness for Christ. 

"Richmond, Indiana, Jan'y 14, 1881 
"Geo. C. Needham: 

"ilfy Dear Friend: The reported death of our dear 
brother, Henry Moorhouse, filled me with mingled feelings 
of sorrow and rejoicing; sorrow, from the thought that 
(168) 



TESTIMONIALS. 109 

we should see his face no more, in the flesh, and for the 
loss to the world by the removal of one so earnest and 
faithful in the work of the Lord; rejoicing, that he had 
entered into rest, and was partaking of the 'joy of his 
Lord,' My first acquaintance with him was at Terre Haute, 
Indiana, where he was in attendance at a Christian conven- 
tion, accompanied by D. L. Moody and Herbert Taylor. 
His thorough knoAvledge of the Bible, his apt and striking 
illustrations, his earnestness and fervor attracted the atten- 
of all who heard liim. He was afterwards several times a 
guest at my house, for many days together, and I look back 
upon his sound gospel teaching, especially enforcing salva- 
tion by the blood of Christ, his thorough biblical knowl- 
edge, and habit of constant Bible study (in which he spent 
several hours each day), as having been greatly blessed to 
me and my family. 

* ' He presented the story of the Cross in a simple and for- 
cible manner; made no compromise with the world, and hes- 
itated not to speak unsparingly of the failures and short- 
comings of Christian professors. Very many souls were 
blessed by his labors. He visited the place soon after the 
' great revival, ' twelve years since, and his teachings and 
sermons to new converts were eminently useful and calcu- 
lated to turn their attention from the simply emotional to 
the practical duties of Christian life. He was what he was, 
by the grace of God, and was a living illustration of the 
power of the Lord to raise up from the ' basest of the peo- 
ple ' an instrument, polished and fitted for his work. 

"Let us praise the Lord for his Christian life, and be 
brought by the memory of his labors into nearer union with 
his blessed Master. 

" Li the love and fellov/ship of the gospel, 

"I am yours affectionately, 

"C. F. Coffin.'* 



170 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

From the venerable Dr. Shaw, of Rochester, 
N". Y., the following note has reached us: 

"Rochester, Jan. 10, 1881. 
" My dear Brother: 

****** " I cannot recall any facts 
connected with Henry Moorhouse's visits to Rochester, which 
I could make vivid enough to interest the people. This 
much I know, that I never came in contact with a sweeter 
spirit; and this much more I know, that no man ever did 
our church so much good. He brought us a new Bible, and 
ahnost a new Saviour. His memory is inexpressibly dear to 
rae, and his being in heaven adds a new attraction to the 
place. 

*' Yours in the Lord Jesus, 

" James B. Shaw." 

A prominent merchant, well known in Sunday 
School circles, and ^ther departments of Chris- 
tian work, writes: 

"Peoria, 111., Jan V 15, 1881. 
"Dear Brother: 

"Your favor came duly to hand. I knew Henry Moor- 
house weU. I became acquainted with hun on his first visit 
to this country, in 1868. He has been in this city three 
times, holdiug meetings from ten days to three weeks, at 
each visit. No church in the place could contain the multi- 
tude who came to hear him, day and night. He was one of 
the most wonderful men I ever knew. The Bible in his 
hands appeared to be a new revelation — so fresh, so fascina- 
tmg. He first introduced Bible readings, which have be- 
come so popular. He showed me how to study the Bible. 
His exposition of Scripture was clear and convincing — his 



TESTIMONIALS. 171 

preadiing- simple and loving. His illustrations were the 
best I ever heard from any speaker — ^new, interesting and 
apt. I personally mourn his loss. His death is a great loss 
to the world, a great gain to him. * * * He 
loved Jesus intensely. How he will enjoy His society be- 
yond ! May God raise up more such men. Earth is poorer 
for their death. 

" Yours truly, 

'*W. Reynolds." 

One of Henry's earHest friends in America, 
Thomas Kimber, is a prominent member and 
faithful minister in the Society of Friends ; a 
man of culture, and aesthetic taste, having all his 
life breathed the sweet air of refinement, of great 
business ability, which is in recent years directed 
into the channel of evangelistic labors, and thor- 
oughly consecrated to the difi'usion of Scriptural 
knowledge in various ways, sends us the sub- 
joined communication. If dear Moorhouse had 
done no "other work in America than that of 
bringing Mr. Moody and Mr. Kimber more di- 
rectly into the heart of the gospel, and in fur- 
nishing them with a key to its better understand- 
ing and its more vigorous proclamation, he would 
not have visited in vain, nor labored in vain. 
Yet not even him do we praise. He would say 
loudest of any: "Not unto us, O Lord, not unto 
us, but unto Thy name we give glory." 



172 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOOEHOUSE, 

" Richmond Hill, L. I, 1 mo. IQth, '81. 
" Geokge C. Need ham: 

" Jf^ Bear Friend: — ******* 
* * * ' Yes, lie has indeed gone liome — to his 
happy, eternal home in heaven; to dwell forever with that 
dear Savior whom he loved so truly and served so faithfully, 
from the day that he first realized His pardoning love.' This 
was my reflection as I comprehended the fullness of the tid- 
ings — what they meant to him — ^what they meant to us. 

" ' I cannot mourn for him,' I said to his true and kind 
friend, Dr. Reed, ' it is aU well; he is forever at rest with 
his Lord.' 

" You are right in supposing that I would feel an interest 
in his memoir; and right also in turning to that first visit of 
his to Claymont as a memorable one in the history of his 
work in America, as well as in my own personal religious 
life. 

"He came, through an introduction from om* heloved 
brother William HiUis, of Wilmington, Del., with whom he 
has doubtless rejoicingly met once more and forever, in the 
presence of the King. I shall never forget the evening of 
his first arrival at my house. It was the last day of the 
year 1867, and special watch-night services were to be held 
in the new little meeting house which we had erected in the 
neighborhood, and which had the week before been sol- 
emnly dedicated to the worship of our one Lord and Sav- 
iour, under the charge of the Methodist Episcopal Church. 
My dear friend, Wm. Dalrymple, the pastor, was to take 
tea with us, with a number of friends and relatives who 
had assembled in the parlors, the haU doors being open 
between them and the dining room where the evening meal 
was at the time being served. Henry arrived late. I went to 
the front door to welcome him, and to my surprise, after en- 
tering, he stood with portmanteau in hand, and asked in a 
clear, earnest tone, * Mr. Kimber, are you a Christian ? ' 



TESTIMONIALS. 173 



** It is impossible to explain to yo\i liow startling- this 
question, thus put to me in so public a manner, literally in 
the presence and hearing of my family and servants, as 
well as of the guests gathered on the occasion, was to all my 
feelings and instincts as well as to the prejudices of my edu- 
cation. It became especially embarrassing as I noticed the 
hush that fell on the conversation in the parlor as all 
waited to see where these things would tend, for at that 
time I was more noted for promptness than for gentleness 
of manner and expression in matters touching, as I con- 
ceived, my personal dignity. I rem3mber, howeiver, that I 
answered him calmly, but firmly, that this was a question 
between me and my God, and one which we would not dis- 
cuss at that time. ' No, Mr. Kimber, ' he earnestly replied, 
looking me lovingly and longingly right in the eyes, ' no, it is 
just the question between us to-night, and it is just the time 
and place to talk about it now.' I saw his sincerity, and 
could not rebuke him, keenly as I felt my position, though 
there was no other man living that had ever spoken to me 
in that way, ' as one having authority, ' So I tried expostu- 
lation. I told him that if after supper he wanted to talk 
to me on those sacred matters, I would go up with him to a 
private room and he might ask me any question he wanted 
to. 'See,' I said, as a servent entered the adjoining room 
with a tray, 'the meal is all prepared, let. us sit down to- 
gether and enjoy it, and there will be plenty of time after- 
ward for our conversation before meeting.' 'No, Mr. Kim- 
ber,' came the equally firm but tender response, 'I don't 
want any supper till you answer my question ; the Lord told 
me on entering this house to ask if the master of it was a 
Christian, and I cannot come in till you answer me.' I was 
fauiy cornered at my own threshold. I had for several 
years sought earnestly to serve the Lord, and had given 
thousands of dollars to his cause; had mainly built that 



174 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

church on my own ground, and with William Hillis, had, afc 
a large pecuniary cost, imported the Dublin and other tracts 
by the box, and sent them out over the land; had devoted 
large sums and much time to the education the colored peo- 
ple of our State, of which organization I was the president; 
had gathered my family daily and read the Holy Scriptures 
with them, and waited silently on the Lord for a blessing, 
as I had been brought up to do: and yet, face to face with 
this awkward young stranger, coming, as I saw and felt 
that he did, in the name of his Lord and Master, and mine, 
I dared not? claim the assurance of my acceptance, or even 
the honor of my Saviour's name. 'No,' I replied at last, 
' if I must answer your question now and here, I cannot say 
that I am what you call a Christian, but by God's grace, I 
will never say that again.' 

' ' The victory was won for him and for me, or rather for 
our gracious Lord, who knew just my condition and just the 
shock that I needed to shake me out of my constitutional re- 
serve, and so sent this ignora,nt, yet faithful messenger of 
His to my house to break the fetters that had held for years 
my tongue from a public confession of His name. You 
know already much of what followed; the wonderful 
'watch-night' meeting, which lasted from 8 to 12:30 
o'clock, and could have lasted all night without the interest 
of 'the congregation for a moment flagging; the ' drawing- 
room meetings, ' as they were called, that he inaugurated 
in my parlor, and which were kept up for years, and at 
which Alfred Cookman and others, now gone to join the 
Church triumphant in heaven, used to officiate; and where 
many were blessed who have since made a public profession 
of Christ; the conversion of other members of my family 
and neighbors; the repeated and prolonged visits he made 
to me in after years, and how at last I was gently led by 
him to aid at the after-meetings those under conviction 



TESTIMONIALS. 175 

through his ministry; and so through this and other instru- 
mentalities have been brought into the active and continual 
service of the same Lord and Redeemer. You may remem- 
ber how I spent many hours with him over Murray's gram- 
mar, etc., that he might correct (which he did to a large 
extent) the grammatical and oth( r err )rs, which, for lack of 
education, at first marred somewhat the public delivery of 
his wonderful gospel messages; and how I afterward sent 
him for the first time to Mr. Moody, to whom, although I 
scarcely know him personally, yet I feel a tender and close 
attachment through Henry Moorhouse. * 

' ' I forbear to give you details of what I have known and 
witnessed subsequently of his work ; of the answers to his 
prayers ; of his marvelous faith and singleness of purpose. 
To him I owe more than to any man, the conviction and 
resolution, on which I have ever acted since called to the 
ministry, more than eight years ago, that the Lord Jesus 
Christ was the only true subject of the gospel message; not 
human dogmas, not individual experiences, not even the 
blessed fruits of the gospel, such as temperance, peace, or 
even holiness itself ; but the glad tidings of salvation from 
the uttermost to the uttermost, through faith in the Lord 
Jesus; through His precious blood; through his resurrection- 
life, through his ascension and mediation, at the right hand 
of God the Father. And that that this gospel of the glory 
of the blessed God, is to be proclaimed by the power of His 
Holy Spirit, who not only prepares the heart to receive the 
message, but inspires and seals it; not speaking of Himself, 
but glorifying ever the Lord Jesus Christ. 

" I have thus endeavored hastily to answer your question, 
as to the details of my first visit from dear Henry Moor- 
house. It was impossible to do so without involving my 
own story somewhat with the narrative of his service. 
* Mr. Kimber furnished Henry with transportation, &c., to Chicago. 



11Q RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOOBHOUSE. 

' ' However painful this would once have been to me, if it 
can do any good to a soul similarly situated, or can in any 
way glorify the Lord, by honoring his servant, of whom we 
have been speaking, you are welcome to make use of it. 
'^ Very truly yours, 

*'Thos. Kimber." 

Miss Macpherson, an English ladj known in 
two continents for lier work in rescuing poor 
children from poverty and vice, and providing 
them with homes in the New World, three thou- 
sand of whom, now in comfortable Canadian 
homes, bless her for her kindness, writes : 

^' Wliat a monument of faith in the living God our loved 
brother has left us ! His bodily life has been a very suffer- 
ing one for these three years past, and through these suf- 
ferings he has been unable to witness for his blessed Master 
by his Hps, but he has left three Gospsl Bible-carriages, 
carrying life-giving messages to the masses. 

"He was a humble man, content to dwell among his own 
people in a tiny cottage. His dear wife Mary was one with 
him in living and denying themselves for the glory of God. 
What a privilege for us all now at this season to cheer that 
widowed heart; and may aU who have profited here and in 
America by our brother's ministrations these past twenty 
years send a thank-offering for his little cripple daughter 
Minnie." 



CHAPTER XIY. 

TESTIMONIALS CONTINUED. 

Opposition to Evangelists — Dr. Brookes' tribute — Evange- 
lists of Divine appointment — Rev. Joseph Kelly — Miss E. 
Dryer — D. L. Moody — Ira D. Sankey. 

In writing of Henry Moorhoiise, it is in no 
spirit to exalt the man, or extol any of nature's 
qualities in him. And we rejoice that the au- 
thors of those letters which have come to us 
from different parts of the country, saw in him 
the grace of God, which they indeed would 
gladly magnify. « 

The tribute paid to his worth, by our valued 
friend James H. Brookes, not only calls attention 
to tlie ministry of our sleeping brother, but to 
the scripturalness of his position as filling an 
office in the ch arch, wliich neither councils nor 
conferences can set aside. We have heard with 
sorrow, reference made to the work of evangel- 
ism, as a modirn innovation; and well meaning 
men have discussed the question of sweeping 
from the fields the itinerant evangelist. IlTot 
12 (177) 



ITS RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

that we tremble with apprehension for results, for 
as lon£^ as the gospel must be preached, the sov- 
ereign purpose of God in raising up this class 
of ministers can never be set aside. But we 
are grieved that those who claim to be leaders 
of religious thought, and assume to be skilled 
in divinity, should be so profoundly ignorant of 
the mind of the Spirit so clearly revealed in 
the Holy Scriptures. 

!Nor is the argument sufficient that self-styled 
evangelists have damaged the churches. We 
have no defense to make for such; nor do we deny 
that imperfections cleave to the best and wisest 
of them. But shall the bishopric be vacated 
when bishops are found who are "given to wine?" 
Must the pastorate be set aside when those are 
found connected with it "greedy of filthy lucre?" 
Why not " a ministerial association " decry dea- 
conship and eldership on this basis also? We 
believe that man can neither make or unmake 
those whom God has called into the office, 
whether as pastor, teacher or evangelist. ^Nor 
need the true evangelist fear the decrees of a 
few men whose unscriptural judgments are ap- 
parent to all. The grand and godly pastors 
througliout the world are in closest syjnpathy 
with these ambassadors of the Cross, and with 



TESTIMONIALS CONTINUED. 179 

their earnest labors the great heart of the church 
throbs with love and faith and prajer. 
Dr. Brookes writes : 

" St. Louis, Jan. 28, 1881. 
" My Dear Brother : 

"Henry Moorhouse came to this city twice while he was 
preaching the gospel in America, and during both visits he 
was my most welcome guest. Thus it was my privilege to 
be brought into very intimate personal relations to him for 
a period of more than four weeks, and much of each day 
and night, when he was not engaged in public service, was 
passed in delightful conversation and prayer and fellowship 
in the truth. It was given me to see into his heart, and he 
drew forth my love with no ordinary fervor and tender- 



" That which most impressed me in those pleasant days, 
the remembrance of which is still very sweet, was his single- 
ness of purpose. He was a servant of one Master, a student 
of one Book, a man of one aim, a preacher of one theme. 
Nothing seemed to interest him apart from the Person, the 
Word and the Work of the Lord Jesus Christ ; and, while 
plajrful as a child with the children of the household, he ex- 
hibited unmistakable signs of weariness if visitors persisted 
in introducing topics of a temporal and worldly character. 
It was amusing to watch his look of blank indifference 
when asked whether he had read some popular book, and 
to listen to his quick reply, ' I have never heard of the book, 
and hope never to hear of it again.' 

" But if a question were presented that touched the glory 
of the Lord, the honor of His Word or the welfare of the 
soul, he was on the alert in a moment. His eyes would 
open wide, and he was instantly ready with an answer taken 
from the Bible, which he usually had in his hand or near 



180 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

his side. He was evidently in full sympathy with the views 
of the late Duncan Mathieson, who said in one of his last 
addresses, delivered at the Perth Conference, 'I stand to-day 
with my eyes fixed on the lost. I plead with evangelists to 
keep at the one thing. With the vision cleared by Heaven's 
lamp, they will see the crowd rushing on to destruction, 
sporting with death, indifferent to Calvary, laughing on the 
way to Hell. * * * q.q(J^ heaven, hell, salva- 
tion, are solemn realities. The shadows of eternity are fall- 
ing on the path of some of us. They are not dark, l)ut 
lightened by the glory that shines from the better land. I 
know not how it may be with me. Our Father can heal if 
he pleases. I leave it in His hands. It is sweet to know 
that we toil only a little while ; that, sowing in tears we 
shall reap in joy.' 

" Indeed, he used well the office of evangelist, and was a 
striking illustration of the truth that such an office exists, 
or at least ought to exist, as any intelligent Christian can 
see by reading Eph. iv. 11 ; Acts xxi. 8 ; 2 Tim. iv, 5. Dr. 
Eadie, one of the ablest and soundest commentators of the 
century, has well said upon the first of the passages here 
cited, ' This official title implies something special in their 
function, inasmuch as they are distinguished also from 
" ' teachers.' " These gospellers may have been auxiliaries of 
the apostles, not endowed as they were, but furnished with 
clear perceptions of saving truth, and possessed of wondrous 
power in recommending it to others. Inasmuch as they 
itinerated, they might thus differ from stationary teachers. 
* * * Passing from place to place with the 
wondrous story of salvation and the cross, they pressed 
Christ on men's acceptance, their hands being freed all the 
while from matters of detail in reference to organization, 
ritual and discipline.' 

" If this language gives a true picture of the New Testa- 



TESTIMONIALS CONTINUED. 181 

ment evangelist, it also presents an a/lmirable portrait of 
Henry Moorhouse. He was ' fumisl ed with clear percep- 
tions of saving truth, and possessed of wondrous power in 
recommending it to others.' It would be a great mistake 
to suppose that he was of dull intellect, for Jesus Christ, as 
the God of creation and providence, had conferred upon him 
a quick mind; and his ' several ability ' consisted of a sub- 
stratum of good, hard, common sense on which grace built 
beautifully. But after all, it was Jesus Christ, as ' the au- 
thor of eternal salvation,' who made him what he was, con- 
straining him by His love, consecrating liim, soul and body, 
to His service, filling him with intense and increasing de- 
sire to know more and more of His Word, exalting that 
Word in the esteem of the uncultivated youth far above all 
the opinions and systems of all the schools and theologians, 
and thus putting into his hands weapons of warfare, by 
which, according to the fine rendering of Conybeare and 
Howson, he could ' overthrow the reasonings of the disputer, 
and pull down the lofty bulwarks which raise themselves 
against the knowledge of God, and bring every rebellious 
thought into captivity and subjection to Christ.' — (2 Cor. 
X. 5.) 

"This independence and earnestness in the study of the 
Word gave him great simplicity and boldness in preaching 
the Word. He was diligent and patient in his search for 
truth, but when it was revealed to him by the Holy Ghost 
in its radiant loveliness, he conferred not with flesh and 
blood, and never consulted consequences in his determina- 
tion to exhibit it to others. The utter depravity of man's 
nature even amid the appliances of human culture, the ab- 
solute necessity of the new birth by the Holy Ghost through 
faith in Christ as revealed in the Word, the atonement 
made by the blood shed upon the cross, the present and cer- 
tain salvation of the believer, God's sovereign choice of His 



182 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOOBHOUSE. 

people, tlie wide-spread ruin that will be the end of the 
present age, and the personal return of the .Lord Jesus as 
the hope set before the church, were constantly proclaimed 
with remarkable clearness and force. 

" Beloved brother! faithful witness! If it please the Lord 
to tarry, may He raise up many Evangelists like him, who 
shall seek to arouse the slumbering virgins by the midnight 
cry, 'Behold, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet 
him.' " Yours in Him, 

"James H. Brookes. " 

A communication from Bev. Joseph Kellj, 
of Washington, D. C, is full of interest in giving 
further glimpses into the secret of Henry's power. 
The Bible was everything to liim, and with start- 
Hng surprise he looked at any minister or friend 
who raised the shadow of a doubt regarding any 
of its statements or miracles. When a strange 
brother asked him Quizzically regarding the plie- 
nomenon of the sun and moon standing still, and 
talked learnedly of gravitation and its laws, 
Henry coolly turned away in silent disdain, and 
went on with reading his Bible. After awhile the 
stranger gave him to understand he was a be- 
Hever himself and only questioned him to hear 
his reply. "But, Mr. Moorhouse," said he, 
"why did you treat me so?" " Why, my dear 
brother," was the calm reply, " I thought you 
were an infidel, and I never discuss with them, 
for ' the natural man understandeth not the 



TESTIMONIALS CONTINUED. 1S3 

tilings of the Spirit of God, iieitlier can be know 
them, for they are spiritnallj discerned."' 
Mr. Kellej thus writes of his friend : 

"The great cliarm was in tlie natural manner with which 
he spoke. He brought to the exposition and illumination of 
the truth the varied resources of his mind. He could light 
up truth without burdening it — telling a story not for the 
sake of its interest but to enforce the Word. He was 
quaint and original in his ideas. He would take a Bible 
character, and so present the salient points of the history 
according to the language, dress, customs, and tendencies 
of the present day, that the lesson, would strike home to 
every intelligence. And all this was with a dkect purpose 
with regard to each hearer. It was preaching to the indi- 
vidual conscience, that meant individual souls. Moreover, 
he exhibited great tact in dealing not only with individuals 
but with whole audiences. He knew that there must be a 
difference in presenting the truth, and the portions to be 
preached as congregations differed. I was much struck by 
the following anecdote, told by himself. He was going to 
one of the mining towns to preach to the colliers, who were 
notoriously bad. Some one said to him : ' Well, yoa 
ought to hold those men over the mouth of hell, and show 
them its horrors.' ' No,' he said, 'I'll preach to them that 
God loves them, and sent His Son to die for them. But, Td 
hold over the mouth of hell some of these church members 
who care nothhig for the love of Christ.' Is not this char- 
acteristic of the loving wisdom of the man who knew 
how to * reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all long-suffering 
and doctrine ? ' Is it any wonder, therefore, that those 
who heard, remember him as one sweetly drawing the sin- 
ner with the cords of love ; and that though many were 
awakened by the thunders of the law, yet it was by the 



184 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

gentle voice telling of mercy they were led to rest in Jesus 
Christ for salvation ? For all these purposes he rested upon 
the Bible. In his hands it was a new Book. He would 
always have a great subject, and quickly finding the key- 
thought of the passage, would unlock its treasures, and 
turn from page to page, causing the various portions to 
light up and explain each other. It is not too much to say 
that he brought many who were preaching about the Wordy 
for the first time to understand what the Word was, and 
how it should be honored. He often referred to the old 
command; 'Preach the Word J He led very many di- 
rectly to the fountain of all knowledge, and taught them to 
draw from this never-failing spring those supplies of wis- 
dom which their hewn cisterns had never furnished. Per- 
haps in this way he was to accomplish larger results, and 
extend his ministry to far wider fields than in the other va- 
ried ways of his usefulness. By so infusing his own knowl- 
edge and methods into others, that they are now in their 
places, and, 'according to the measure of the gift of 
Christ, ' teaching as he taught — he, being dead, yet speak- 
eth. ' We speak that we do know, and testify that we 
have seen, ' for it was under God through Henry JMoorhouse 
that this knowledge was brought to me, and so brought 
home as to change entirely the character of my work. The 
light poured in by him upon the pages of the Bible made 
it a new Book. It was then seen to be a unit, and not di- 
vided. He brought home, as never before, the trath that 
men who are ambassadors for Christ are responsible for the 
exact message He gave them to deliver to a lost world, and 
whatever of fideUty to this great principle has since marked 
my ministry is directly tiaceable to this influence. I make 
this mention here, feeling that I may be speaking for many 
others whose hearts have been brought into closer accord 
with the purposes of Christ by the ministration of him who 



TESTIMONIALS CONTINUED. 185 

lias now taken his place with those who are redeemed from 
among men. 

"To this day thoughts and expressions of his keep re- 
curring to the mind, and with them rises before the eye the 
ever-familiar form as he stood in the church during those 
days of blessing. Upon the church itself his influence 
came as a refreshing and reviving element in the midst of 
death and sterility. To-day I believe we are still receiving 
the benefits of his ministry. He worked for eternity, and 
his work abides. Living epistles, known and read of men, 
testify to this. Souls saved from everlasting death; chris- 
tians rescued from sloth, indifference and worldliness; be- 
lievers, once wavering and discouraged, made by his 
teachings ' strong in the Lord and in the power of His 
might;' the wayward reclaimed, and the lost rescued — all 
these are to-day, in many lands, the witnesses to the power 
by which he spake and taught." 

MissE. Deyee, Superintendent of Bible Work, 
Chicago, kindly informs us of her interview with 
Henry, and of his calm faith in the prospect of 
death as follows : 

" Dear Pastor and Friend: 

" I said my last good-bye to our dear Harry Moorhouse 
the 21st of last April, in Liverpool, 

" He was far from well, and looked weary from the eifort 
to come and see me. His physicians had spoken discourag- 
ingly of his condition, charging him to rest much on his 
bed for a few weeks, and gi\ing him no encouragement of 
recovery : but he spoke most cheerfully, saying that it was 
all rigid any ic ay ; if the LorcVs time had come, he ivas 
ready to go. 

"There was a self-surrender in his tones, which struck 



186 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

me like a knell, and I, recalling his marked and increasing 
usefulness in our Lord's service, and fearing the effect of 
discouragement, expostalatingly criticised his physicians' 
decisions, and spoke hopefully of the continuance of his 
work until our Lord shall come. But he summed it all up 
in entire resignation, saying that He Icnows best. I assured 
him that we confidently hoped to see him again in Chicago. 
He exclaimed, 'Dear Chica,go! the dearest place to me in 
the world! There is no place I would as soon go to as Chi- 
cago!' and then began a series of inquiries about the friends 
of our church, and of other churches and neighborhoods 
where he has acceptably labored. 

"He mentioned dear friends at Lake View, and to all 
sent his love. 

" Knowing that I retained a filial interest in the Brick 
Church of Rochester, N. Y., he inquired after it, saying af- 
fectionately, ^ Dear Dr. Shaw, I should like to- see him 
again, dear old man!' and charged me to give his love to 
Dr. Shaw; and all these loving inquiries and ejaculations 
ended in expressed hopes of heaven. 

"We took tea together at the home of our American 
friends, Mr. and Mrs. Patterson, and as he bade me good- 
bye, he said that he should like, were it the Lord's will, to 
visit America again and go to San Francisco to preach, but 
that it was not probable. Not liking to admit that his 
condition was critical, I charged him with being afraid of 
the ocean, freely admitting that I dreaded -it, and should 
not like a grave in its unfathomable depths. But he said in 
the same sweet resignation that he was not afraid, he was 
quite ready to go home that way, did our Lord so order; 
that he was sure of one thing, he should be gathered with 
all the Lord's dear children to meet Him in the air, and to 
be forever with the Lord. 

"He had brought me a Bible as a parting gift, and no 



TESTIMONIALS CONTINUED. 187 

other could be such an appropriate reminder of one who 
made it his constant companion and a manifold blessing to 
others. 

" I heard, with deep regret, the sad news of our dear 
brother's departure, but heaven-born hopes gild the gloom 
of our bereavement. We shall all join him soon in that 
goodly company who see Christ's face and serve Him for- 
ever. Until then, this truth be fondly cherished — how 
much dear Harry Moorhouse, in heaven, loves us. 
"In the hope of thfe gospel, 

" Tours, 

"E. Dryer." 
" Bible Work Eoom, 

"150 Madison street, Chicago, Feb., 1881." 

The following statement made by one whose 
praise is in all the churches, confirms the testi- 
mony given to the value of Henry Moorhouse's 
services in the foregoing pages. Mr. Moody 
was ever a kind friend to the little Englishman, 
and gladly they rendered each other mutual 
assistance in the precious work of their common 
Lord. The subjoined letter shows how much 
Henry was beloved by his American fellow- 
laborer: 

" San Francisco, Cal., Jan. Slst, 1881. 
"My Dear Brother: 

"Learning that you are about to issue a life of Henry 
Moorhouse, I gladly bear testimony to the efficiency of the 
work that he has done in this country and in England. 

" Many of the Bible students who will read your book, do 
not neel an introduction to him, for he was widely known, 



188 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

and very many have had their interest in the Bible kindled 
by his Bible readings, and his use of the Scriptures. To 
him the Bible was the book ; he always carried it with 
him, and whether it was at a meeting, in the family circle, 
or in the cars, his favorite theme was some Bible truth, and 
nothing so pleased him as to gather a knot of Christian 
workers about hun, that he might open to them the Word. 

" As a Bible teacher he had few superiors; he was happy 
in his illustrations and simple in his presentation of truth. 
His forte in preaching and teaching was quickening and 
building up Christians, rather than awakening the uncon- 
verted. Yet as an evangelist he was successful, and large 
numbers in this country and in England were converted 
under his simple Gospel preaching. During his several 
visits to America, in which he held meetings in most of the 
leading cities and mingled wi^ih the most active Christian 
workers, I was conversant with his work, and everywhere 
it was productive of great good. Henry Moorhouse was of a 
gentle, winning disposition, and I do not know of a single in- 
stance, in a wide-spread work, in which he left any but 
friends behind him. Denominational jealousies were for- 
gotten; christians of every name gathered about him, and 
ministers with long years of successful work and young con- 
verts just entering the field, alike sat at his feet to study 
the Word. He was very tenacious for the truth, and was 
every ready to combat error when he felt it was his duty to 
do so, but it was done in such a kindly spirit that few could 
take offense at it. 

*' As I learn of his death I feel that I have lost a dear 
friend, and one that in a long and intimate personal ac- 
quaintance was very helpful to me. I hope that the story 
of the evangelist, as you may tell it, will lead many, who 
have not come under his personal influence, to a more thor- 
ough study of God's Word, knowing how God has used and 



TESTIMONIALS CONTINUED. 189 

blessed it in the work in which our friend Moorhouse was 
engaged, and may they be able to say, as he could, ' Thy 
Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.' 

"Truly yours, 

'^D. L. Moody/' 

Mr. Ira D. Sankej was one of Henry's most 
intimate friends. As a rule sino^ins: evano^elists 

OCT c5 

were considered a luxury, wliicli he dispensed 
with. But there were some in wliose fellowship 
and work he had great comfort. Those whom 
God had manifestly raised up and sent forth 
with burning hearts to sing of His salvation, 
were welcomed as co-laborers. But he was of- 
ten feartiil lest the mechanical and artistic should 
absorb the hearers, and purely emotional effects 
be produced. He was jealous of anything arti- 
ficial sharing honor with the divine Word, and 
suspicious lest the results of "solo singing" 
would prove like the early cloud, or the morn- 
ing dew, transitory and disappointing. But he 
rebelled not with God's sovereignty in choosing 
any vessel, even as he was chosen, to bring sal- 
vation to the lost, either by " sacred song" or 
salted speech. The counterfeits were his dread. 
Those presuming the office of an evangelist, 
more gifted with brass than grace, whose life was 
unsavory, and whose policy was " fleshly," met 
with keen rebuke and faithful expostulation 



190 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

from his lips. Hypocrisy ronsed him, and even 
his friends wondered that snch a great lion could 
sleep in so gentle a breast. I^or was it the lion 
of angry passion ; far from it, but the stern 
bearitig of a man filled with " righteous indig- 
nation." 

The proved men he dearly loved; but few had 
so large a place in that big heart as Mr. Sankey. 
He never wearied of hearing him sing, and woe 
to the person, whether in jest or earnest, who 
made a disparaging criticism on the great singer 
in his presence. If he should hear the remark 
made that Mr. Sankey was not an "artist" in 
his line, that "he violated the laws of har- 
mony," and "laid himself open to the musical 
critics," then would the lion awake and shake 
himself. " Why, my dear friend," he would re- 
ply, "you know more than the Holy Spirit ; the 
' artists,' and the ' critics,' and the ' fault-finders ' 
are wiser than God. He called Mr, Sankey to 
his work, and gave him all the needed qualities 
to sing poor sinners into the kingdom of heav- 
en. What nonsense ! What are ' laws of mu- 
sic,' to 'the law of the spirit of life ?' What is 
the exactness of a note to the power of God ? 
Does n't his sino-ins^ move the masses and melt 
their hearts ? Don't it carry peace to the 
anxious, light to the blind, and joy to the sor- 



TESTIMONIALS CONTINUED. 191 

rowful ? Are not hundreds and thousands con- 
verted through his instrumentality ? Then, my 
dear friend, don't grumble ; don't find fault with 
God ; don't try to drill, and trim, and shape 
our brother according to human ideas. God 
wants him to sing just as he is singing, and a 
few poor sinners like yourself want him to sing 
some other way." 

Our evangelist was quite a child in many re- 
spects, and submitted innocently to being petted. 
The genial Sankey had a great love for him, 
and humored his little fancies, as if he were his 
own boy. They were often thrown together in 
conducting meetings, and many glorious victo- 
ries did they witness of the Spirit's power in 
blessing their united testimony. Mr. Sankey 
told us, that when in Europe" in 1879, Henry 
Moorhouse visited London in the interest of the 
Bible carriages, and was invited to give a Bible 
reading at a nobleman's residence in the West 
End. There were present several leading men 
of the English Church, one of whom at the close 
of the service urged Mr. Moorhouse to take 
orders in the Church of England. Henry re- 
plied that he was an uneducated man. " We will 
get over that difficulty," replied the ofiicial, " as 
you are better acquainted with youv Bible than 
many who have had University honors." " But," 



192 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

said Henry, "you could not give me a large 
enough parish." " We will give you," replied 
the dignitary,' " one of the largest in England.' 
" Why," spoke the lad from Lancashire, " there 
is no parish in England as large as the one I 
have already, for the whole world is my parish." 

The result of this first service of Bible teach- 
ing was that many such houses were thrown 
open to him, but he had not the strength to un- 
dertake the work. 

Mr. Sankey was holding services in the north 
of England this same year, and he urged the 
pastors to send for Moorhouse. J^one of them 
knew him personally, but unfavorable reports 
had reached them, which gave rise to prejudice 
against the man. In deference, however, to the 
wishes of his friend, they invited Henry for a 
short visit. During the few meetings he con- 
ducted he had broken down all prejudice, and 
won the love and confidence of every man. He 
resorted to no jugglery to accomplish this end ; 
his mode of dealing with the truth, as well as his 
tender, earnest spirit, constrained by the love of 
Christ, enlisted these ministers to earnestly plead 
for a more extended visit. Mr. Sankey's letter 
will be of interest to our readers : 



TESTIMONIALS CONTINUED. 193 

"San Francisco, Cal., Feb., 1881." 
"My Dear Brother: 

"I am glad you are preparing a memoir of our beloved 
friend and brother, Henry Moorhouse, and would be pleased 
if I had time to write some suitable words for the same, but 
in the press of four and five meetings a day, I have but lit- 
tle time for other duties. In the death of Henry Moor- 
house I have lost a friend and brother who has helped me 
in spiritual things as much as any one with whom I ever 
came in contact. His gentleness of spirit, simplicity and 
earnestness, and his wonderful knowledge of the Word of 
God, have made his name very dear to me and to thou- 
sands of others in this country. It was in the winter of 
1872 that I first met him in Mr. Moody's temporary Taber- 
nacle, in Chicago, which was built after the great fire. It 
was a very cold winter morning, and but few came out to 
the meeting. All present gathered about the stove, in one 
corner of the large building, and Mr. Moorhouse gave one 
of his delightful Bible readings. I was drawn to him from 
the first. After this he and I were appointed by Mr. 
Moody to hold evangelistic meetings in the Tabernacle, 
which were greatly blessed. At first he was not in favor of 
' solo singing ' as a means of reaching the masses and 
proclaiming the gospel, but in a few days he declared a 
change in his views, and was the first person to suggest the 
idea of my going to England to sing the gospel. He was 
the first to welcome me on arriving, and took me to his 
home, where I spent my first days in England. From there 
I went to York, rejoined Mr. Moody, and commenced the 
evangelistic work which has been continued in both coun- 
tries for the last eight years. 

" I am persuaded that when the book of records is opened, 
it will be found that Henry Moorhouse had no small part in 
this work. It has been my privilege to meet very many 
13 



194 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

persons, both in the higher and lower walks of Kfe, in Eng- 
land and America, who ha.ve been greatly blessed by his 
teaching. It has been my pleasure to visit him quite fre- 
quently in his home at Manchester, and from himself and 
wife I ever received a most hearty welcome. He v/as always 
looking about him when at home to see if he could be help- 
ful to some one in distress. 

"The last time I was at his home he took me to see a 
poor sick man who lived in a little back street near his own 
dwelling. Nor can I forget how he prayed for the man, his 
wife and son, and then asked me to 'sing a little hymn ' for 
the dying man. It was a joy to be with him. He lived so 
near heaven that I am sure when he died he did not have 
far to go. How appropriate now are the words of the poem 
which he loved to read while he was yet with us : 

• I shine in the light of God ; 

His likeness stamps my brow ; 
.Through the valley of Death my feet have trod, 
And I reign in glory now I 

• No breaking heart is here, 

No keen and thrilling pain, 
No wasted cheek where the frequent tear 
Hath rolled and left its stain. 

• friends of mortal years, 

The trusted and the true, 
Ye are watching still in the valley of tears, 
But I wait to welcome you. 



* Then why should your tears run down, 

And your hearts be sorely riven, 
For another gem in the Saviour's crown. 

And another soul in heaven ! ' 

" I shall long remember the happy days spent with him 
in holding special meetings in the north of England during 
the winter of 1878. It was at Han-ogate near the cathedral 



TESTIMONIALS CONTINUED, 195 

city of York where we held our last public meetings to- 
gether. No building in the place could hold the people 
who came to hear the word from his lips. 

**From Harrogate we were to visit York, the petition 
from this city being signed by aU the leading clergymen 
and ministers of the place, including six vicars of the Eng- 
lish Church. On account of Mr. Moorhouse's failing health, 
we were unable to accept this invitation, nor the many 
others from all parts of England. 

" A few weeks after closing our work, I had the pleasure 
of meeting him again in the home of our mutual friend, 
Mr. T. B. Smithies, where we held one or two parlor Bible 
meetings. This was the last time I heard him expound the 
"Word, and I am sure no one present will ever forget the 
spirit aal refreshing there received. 

*' July 17, 1878, he bade us good-bye at the landing at 
Liverpool. On my return to England I shall miss his bright 
face, but will behold him in the presence of the King. I had 
written to him last summer, asking him to come over and 
join us, when we would be in California, and he expected 
to come, but his work was done, and the time arrived for 
him to enter into rest. 

" Farewell, dear Hemy! we shall look for you and dear 
BHss when our Master returns and gathers us all to that 
* Land that is fairer than day.' 

" Yours in the Gospel, 

**Ira D. Sankey." 



CHAPTER XY. 

CONCLUSION. 

Henry's Ecclesiastical Views — " Brethrenism " — ^Loyalty to 
Principle — Relation to Pastors — Union Meetings not Con- 
genial — Defence of the Truth — ^The Atonement — W. J. 
Erdman — Lessons for Laborers — Adelaide Newton — 
Characteristic Utterance. 

That the religious life of Henry Moorliouse 
may be more fully understood, we call attention 
to the ecclesiastical views and principles of wor- 
ship held and practiced by him. In the matter 
of church government and polity he was not in 
accord with the majority of Christian professors. 
Doctrinally he was considered sound to the core. 
His Bible lectures and Gospel addresses had the 
endorsement of all the evangelical denomina- 
tions, though considered by some rather too 
Calvinistic. But his views of worship as a dis- 
tinct exercise from service led him to adopt 
practices which were misunderstood by many, 
though he claimed to act solely on Scripture 
authority. He seldom preached on the Lord's 
(196) 



CONCLUSIOK. 197 



day morning. If there was no opportunity to 
meet for worship with those like-minded, he re- 
mained in his room for prayer and the study of 
the Word. His reason for declining to preaoh 
at such a time was given on the ground that 
there must be a season for worship, pure and 
simple, and that whilst preaching had its place, 
as of divine appointment and of absolute neces- 
sity, yet it was not worship. When he appeared 
before men as God's ambassador, he was en- 
gaged in bringing the words of God to men. 
This was an act of service. But in worship the 
attitude of the soul was towards the Lord, utter- 
ing forth the praise, adoration, homage, and 
thanksgiving due to Him alone. Believing as 
he did, that the early Christians met once on the 
first day of the week to observe the Lord's Sup- 
per, and remember Him in the breaking of bread, 
he thought it was still incumbent on the members 
of the household of faith now to devote part of the 
day in gathering around the simple and sugges- 
tive feast, and let each one, as led of the Spirit, 
announce a psalm, enforce a doctrine, or lead in 
joyful praise. It grieved him to find that in- 
stead of remembering the Lord's death fre- 
quently, as He commanded, some of the churches 
practically regarded the institution as of second- 
ary importance, observing it at intervals far re- 



198 BE COLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORROUSE. 

moved, and then with unbecoming haste at the 
close of a prolonged service. Hence he sought 
out the small companies who devoted the morn- 
ing to the observance of the feast, and who lin- 
gered around the table, reading and speaking of 
Him whose death they commemorated. 

In Great Britain Henry had little difficulty 
in finding large assemblies of Christian be- 
lievers thus meeting in every city. The vener- 
able George Miiller encouraged this practice in 
tha church, over which the Holy Ghost hath, 
made him overseer. The late Henry Bewley, of 
Dublin Tract fame, was also of this school, and 
many others less known in ^Vmerica, adopt this 
primitive mode of worship. That the " assem- 
blies" were not in all respects according to 
Henry's mind, was very apparent. The ten- 
dency to ignore " pastors " qualified to shepherd 
them; the temptation for "novices " to usurp au- 
thority; the constant assumptions of those who 
had neither ability or experience; the frequent 
indulgence of animosity towards others; and 
the spirit of criticism on the part of those pufied 
up with knowledge, shewed that all were not of 
Israel .who were called Israel. That many crept 
into such gatherings, entirely out of harmony 
with their spirit and object, grieved Henry 
Moorhouse, and the good men with him who 



CONCLUSION. 199 



desired to follow the Lord " with full purpose of 
lieart." 

The general name bj which these " assem- 
blies '' are known is that of " Brethren ;" not in 
itself objectionable or inappropriate. There are 
different families of "Brethren," just as there 
are several branches of Methodists, Presbyterians, 
Episcopalians, Baptists, etc. One school, known 
as the " Exclusive," Henry never entered ; nor 
was the exclusiveness of some "open" assem- 
blies very congenial to his warm sympathies. 
He believed the Word taught him to receive 
every true disciple, and the Spirit prompted him 
to give the right hand of fellowship* to " all who 
love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity." Lie 
felt keenly the blame of those who in profound 
ignorance condemned his ecclesiastical views, 
whilst the prejudice of others not understanding 
his motives, pained him exceedingly. There 
were many, however, who knew the merits of 
" Brethrenism," yet considered it unscriptural in. 
many important particulars. With such, who 
respected his convictions, he fraternized and 
labored. He adhered to his principles, they to 
theirs. There was no controversy evoked; they 
served Christ in the unity of the Spirit, and in 
the bonds of peace. Brotherly love knit their 
hearts together, and the glory of God in the 



200 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

salvation of sinners being the object of their 
solicitude, they counseled mutually for the in- 
terests of Christ's church, and not for any lim- 
ited or sectarian representation of it. Dr. 
Chalmers possessed this spirit when he said : 
"What is the Free Church, compared with the 
Christian good of the people of Scotland?" 
The plea was often urged upon our departed 
brother that his affiliation with " Brethrenism," 
on account of its extravagances, restricted his 
ministry and limited his field of operations. 
To this he would quietly reply, "Behold, to 
obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than 
the fat of rams." To him it was clear that in 
turning aside from his convictions he would 
be guilty of conscious disobedience, a position 
to which no conscientious believer would press 
another. But his fields of labor were neither 
lessened nor limited. Henry allowed others that 
which he claimed for himself — the right of pri- 
vate judgment in things pertaining to God. 
Where he recognized important error, he sought 
to point out the fallacy b}' an appeal to Scripture, 
but when fellow-believers differed from him on 
debatable ground, where the Word had not 
clearly given instruction, he would simply ex- 
press an opinion, and quietly withdraw from 
discussion. 



CONCLUSION. 201 



His relation to tlie pastors with whom he co- 
operated in Gospel services was very pleasant, 
the temporary acquaintance generally ripening 
into life-long friendships. He disliked " Union 
meetings " on account of the petty jealousies some- 
times noticed among ministers of different de- 
nominations. Besides, he observed that some 
joined the movement who feared the condemna- 
tion" of public opinion did they refuse co-opera- 
tion. Their hearts were not therefore in the 
work, and Henry, perceiving this, would prefer 
they should not participate in the services, know- 
ing that hypocrisy would grieve the Holy Spirit 
of God. He avoided the policy of making any 
man prominent on the score of "official" stand- 
ing, and would rather bear the blame often given 
him for apparent discourtesy, than call on men 
to lead in the devotions who had no faith in the 
Gospel which he preached. Hence he made no 
efforts to secure unification where the real ele- 
ments of union were lackino^. 

But Henry joyfully had fellowship in the work 
with pastors and churches of whatever name, 
wlio held the great verities of the Christian faith, 
and sought to win souls from sin. He preached 
on one occasion to the Spiritualists at their ur- 
gent and repeated request. But he imposed 
conditions of a most uncompromising character. 



202 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOOUHOUSE, 

There must be no controversy, nor interruptions, 
and when he delivered his message he must be 
allowed to depart in peace. Lovingly yet faith- 
fully he preached salvation through Christ, in- 
viting them as lost sinners to come to Him. In 
fact, he preached to them as sinners, not as 
Spiritualists. He acted in the same manner 
towards the Mormons of Salt Lake City. They 
listened to his tender appeals with apparent 
emotion, and many thanked him for his address. 
Such opportunities were not sought by him, but 
when invited to speak of the " Great Shepherd " 
to such "lost sheep" he did not refuse. But he 
would on no account enter a Unitarian buildino^, 
wbere his Lord Christ, as the Eternal God, is so 
shamefully disowned. ''' If they want to hear 
me, they can come and hear me," he would say to 
his friends, " but I must not by my presence in 
their pulpit give even the appearance of sanction 
to their awful blasphemies in denying my Lord." 
Kor would this unique minister of Christ affil- 
iate with so-called orthodox divines whose preach- 
ing nullified the grace of God ; whose tenets were 
a denial of " the precious blood," and who robbed 
the sinner of faith in Christ, which alone secures 
salvation from an eternal hell. 

We remember how he discomfited a brother, 
who indulged in a glowing eulogy on a certain 



CONCLUSION. 203 



minister of genius and popularity. ^' Why, you 
must remember," said the enthusiastic ad- 
mirer, "that he believes in free thought, is a 
great reader, a deep thinker, full of poetry and 
noble sentiment, is a passionate orator, a patriot, 
a true-born American, and one of the greatest 
preachers in the country." "Yes, but, my dear 
friend, what good is all that," remarked Henry, 
" when he does n't preach the gospel. I have 
read his sermons, and there isn't one bit of gos- 
pel in them. Why, he ridicules regeneration, 
he scandalizes the atonement, and exalts poor hu- 
man nature almost to perfection. There," he 
added, " I prize that Bible more than anything 
else in the world. It has been my companion 
for many years, but I will give it to you, if you 
can show me in his printed discourses the gos- 
pel presented so that a poor sinner under con- 
viction would know what to do in order to be 
saved." 

Brave little evangelist ! Overflowing witli 
love and sympathy for the dear, faithful minis- 
ters of the Cross, who preached not themselves 
but Christ Jesus the Lord ; yet firm as a rock 
in refusing to fellowship those who robbed the 
Lord Jesus of a single jewel which belongs to 
His coronet of absolute Deity, or who sought 
to add to His finished work of atonement, 



204 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

and thereby detract from the dignity of His 
glorious character as the Saviour of sinners. 
"Wlien that ilhistrious statesman, Lord Palmer- 
ston, was nearing his end, Dr. Prothereo Smith, 
a decided christian himself, said to his noble pa- 
tient : " I hope you are relying for eternal salva- 
tion on the precious blood of Christ." His re- 
ply was this : "Oh! yes, doctor ; I am resting 
only on the blood of Christ for acceptance with 
God, and entrance into heavenly rest." Even 
such a great man could be admitted there on no 
other ground, as only " the blood of Jesus 
Christ, God's son, cleanseth us from all sin." 

Henry Moorhouse knew experimentally what 
Christ had done for him. His message was no 
cold philosophy, no untried experiment, nor 
flower of poetic fancy ; and he found his 
Bible everywhere presenting this truth: " It is 
the blood that maketh atonement for the soul; " 
for "without shedding of blood there is no 
remission of sins." 

A beloved pastor testified of him: "The 
atonement was the centre of all truth believed 
and preached, and he looked to Christ as his 
Redeemer from sin, its dominion and its punish- 
ment. With what remorseless blows did he 
beat down those false assumptions which exalt 
human nature and degrade the Saviour; how did 



CONCLUSION. 205 



he delight, again and again, to tell out the glad 
and inspiring news that *it is the blood that 
maketh an atonement for the soul.' !Night after 
night would he preach from that verse, 1 Pet. 
i. 19, *The precious blood of Christ,' and 
whatever might be his teaching, it had the same 
crimson tinge. The one effort of his life was to 
bring sinners to rest in that in which he himself 
rested. If he preached the lost and ruined con- 
dition of the sinner, it was only that he might 
finally uncover before his eyes the wonderful re- 
demption in Christ. If he showed the backslid- 
den and wandering condition of the believer, it 
was only that he might return him unto the 
Sh-epherd and Bishop of souls." 

Our beloved brother, William J. Erdman, 
himself an ardent student of God's Word, as 
well as a successful pastor and well-known teach- 
er of theology, in his letter answers the question 
often raised, "How was Moorhouse led to the 
preparation and delivery of his first Bible Read- 
ing «" 

"Jamestown, K Y., Feb. 1881. 
" Dear Brother: 

"I recall in substance a conversation I once had with 

Henry on Bible readings. I asked him how he came to give 

Bible readings. He answered, * I was trying to preach in 

a certain city as ministers do, regular sermons from a text. 

After a few weeks my Scriptures and stories and explana- 



206 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOOBHOUSE. 

tions gave out, and I began to repeat myself. One evening 
I was in my room just before going out to my appointment, 
and in great distress of mind, for I had no text, nor sermon, 
and could not bear the thought of telling over again what 
all had heard so often. I lingered, debating whether to go 
at all. Suddenly my eye fell upon an almanac lyin^ on the 
table in my room. I took it up in a listless way, opened it 
at the month of February, and saw that opposite each day 
of the month was a passage of Scripture, and all on the sub- 
ject of justification. I had my sermon. I tore out the 
leaf, laid it in my Bible, and went to the hall. When the 
time to preach came I rose and said, ' My friends, I will not 
preach to-night, but will read some Scriptures, and all on 
the subject of justification.' I began with the first passage, 
and spoke awhile on that, and then on the next, and before 
I was half through the month my time was up. I noticed 
during the reading and remarks how unusually interested 
everybody seemed ; and at the close of the meeting the 
brethren crowded around me, saying, 'That's what we 
want, Henry ! That's what we want. Give us more of 
that to-morrow evening ! ' ' And I have never preached 
permons since.' " 

* ' It may be added, in many of his readings he proceeded in 
the following order: " First, a Scripture and its explanation; 
then an illustration, and we all remember what strokes of 
genius some of his illustrations were; then an anecdote of 
his own or others' experience to confirm the truth ; and, 
finally, an appeal or exhortation, as the case might be. 
Though professedly ' the man of one book, ' yet his ears 
were open and quick to hear any ' good thing ' on or out of 
the Bible, and he knew how to make it thoroughly his own. 
His influence on ministers and christian workers in this 
country, far and near, has been greater than many are 
aware of ; and herein is that sajdng true, * One soweth and 



CONCLUSION. 207 



another reapetli.' He someliow was able to bring out in a 
wonderful way the one great thought of his mind, the love 
of God to sinners. It was to him the one central theme, as 
the Bible was to him the one book. 

" Yours in Christ, 

"W. T. Erdman." 

"We must bring our " Eecollections " to a close. 
They are sent forth with the assurance that God 
will, through them, exalt His grace, His word, 
and His purposes of love. Seldom has the light 
been reflected brighter from any vessel of clay, 
and the memorial of what was done in, and for 
and through Henry Moorhouse ought not to be 
lost. " Yet a little while," and he shall receive 
the promised crowns of life, righteousness and 
glory, for ''He that shall come will come, and 
will not tarry." 

For us wlio abide, waiting in hope, there are 
lessons to be learned from his example for person- 
al growth and efficiency in our work for the Lord. 

Faithfulness, devotedness, unselfishness, and 
love to and for the Master characterized the life 
we have been considering. Let us go forth as 
he did, " strong in the Lord, and in the power 
of His might." Let us have more faith in His 
word to meet the sophisms, and drive back the 
false theories of human speculation. Let us 
langh to scorn, the attempts made to neutralize 
the literalness of the sacred Scriptures, and 



208 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 

preach with greater boldness and tenderness, and 
uncompromising loyalty to its divine claims, the 
truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the 
truth, as found only within its pages. And liv- 
ing on that word by faith ourselves, nourished 
by its " milk" and "meat," may we be partakers 
of " life more abundantly," so that all who 
come in contact with us also may know that we 
have been with Jesus. 

How fitting the lines written of Adelaide 
Xewton in their application to dear Henry 
Moorhouse: 

" The one grand instrument of the work was 
the Word of God. She lived on and in the 
Bible. It savored every sentiment and toned 
every thought of her soul. She caught the faint- 
est whisper, and analyzed the minutest expres- 
sions, of ' the Lively oracles.' The Scriptures 
were wrought into the very texture of her inner 
life: she fed upon them in her heart. Hence 
the newness, the unction, the savoriness of her 
writings. Like the silk- worm, which spins her 
exquisite thread from her own vitals, fed by the 
mulberry leaves — so she, from the experience of 
her own spirit, nourished by the leaves of the 
Tree of Life, wrought out her lovely tissues of 
heavenly wisdom. Flesh and blood had not 



CONCLUSION. 209 



taught her, but the Spirit of her Father in 
Pleaven. 

'' In all she wrote and said and did, to glorify 
Christ was her single aim. This desire was as a 
fire in her bones. Her zeal was ever burning. 
Nor was the light of her joy less remarkable. 
Whilst most humble, she was most assured. 
Doubt seemed never allowed to overshadow her 
soul, anxiety to disquiet it. When you entered 
her chamber, you felt that she was enveloped in 
an atmosphere of heavenliness and peace. When 
she mingled with the family circle, she seemed 
like a denizen of a higher world come down on 
some errand of love." 

All of which may be summed up in Henry's 
own concise utterance at the close of his young 
yet eventful life : 



14 



210 RECOLLECTIONS OF HENRY MOORHOUSE. 



**$ <!gnlg m^mi to (^loritg W^w:^ 



' Jesus, I my cross have taken, 

All to leave and follow thee ; 
Naked, poor, despised, forsaken. 

Thou from hence my all shalt be. 
Perish every fond ambition, 

All I've sought, or hoped, or known ; 
Yet how rich is my condition! 

God and heaven are still my own. 

' Let the world despise and leave me ; 

They have left my Saviour too ; 
Human hearts and looks deceive me ; 

Thou are not, like them, untrue. 
And while thou shalt smile upon me, 

God of wisdom, love, and might, 
Foes may hate, and friends may scorn me, 

Show thy face, and all is bright. 

' Man may trouble and distress me, 

'T will but drive me to thy breast : 
Life with trials hard may press me, 

Heaven will bring me sweeter rest. 
Oh ! 'tis not in grief to harm me. 

While thy love is left to me ; 
Oh 1 'twere not in joy to charm me, 

Were that joy unmixed with thee." 



A SELECTION FROM THE CATALOGUE OF 

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The Notes on each book are complete in one volume, and are 
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Mr. D. L. Moody says of these books : " Some years since I had 
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